Eight crew members were killed on Monday when their B-52 Stratofortress nuclear-capable bomber crashed on a California runway during a routine test.
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The crash took place at approximately 11:20 a.m. shortly after the strategic bomber took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The initial report, released around 3:00 p.m., contained few details other than to explain that emergency crews were on the scene.
Video then began circulating of the smoldering crash site, and a follow-up release from the air force base informed the public that the plane was on a routine test mission.
Eight crew members were aboard, and initial assessments, later confirmed, determined that the crash was not survivable.
“From the AFMC Commander: It is with great sadness that we can confirm the tragic death of eight of our teammates today at Edwards AFB following the crash of a B-52 Stratofortress. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones,” said the U.S. Air Force Material Command on X.
Boeing, the manufacturer of the plane, also issued a statement saying that two Boeing employees were among the eight crew members killed in the crash.
It is not yet clear what caused the crash.
