8 Dead After B-52 Bomber Crashes 'Immediately' Following Takeoff and 'Burst into Flames' in California

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Eight people have died after a B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at a U.S. Air Force base in California. A Monday, June 15, press release from the Edwards Air Force Base said that an “Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off” at 11:20 a.m. local time. “Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” the release continued, adding that emergency personnel were on the scene and the crash is under investigation.

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00:10Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy, and we lost eight great

00:15Americans. This crash is deemed to be unsurvivable, and right now our thoughts and prayers are with

00:21the families of those that lost their loved ones. It was a B-52 that was on initial takeoff,

00:28supporting the radar modernization program, which was a local test sortie. It took off,

00:36and immediately after takeoff, crashed and burst into flames. Our team of first responders

00:45snapped into action and immediately cordoned off the area and took the appropriate action

00:51to start putting out the flames.

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