By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-06-15 22:36:05 | Updated at 2026-06-16 01:00:18
2 hours ago
Eight people are thought to have died after an American B-52 bomber crashed shortly after take-off from a military base in California.
The plane, a B-52 Stratofortress, crashed just after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California on Monday morning.
A statement from Edwards Air Force base the bomber crashed at 11.20am PDT (7.20pm BST) and emergency crews immediately responded to the scene.
"The airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted," Edwards Air Force Base added.
Non-commercial visitor passes to the bases were suspended until further notice tin order to focus on the emergency response.
Shortly after 11pm BST, a statement from the base said the bomber was carrying eight people on board.
"Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable," it confirmed.
Initial images, taken by Fox News, showed a large plume of black smoke surrounding the wreckage.
The nuclear-capable B-52 first entered service in the 1950s and remains to be a key bomber in the US Air Force.
More to follow...
