A US Air Force strategic nuclear-capable B-52 Stratofortress bomber has crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, the base has said.
The crash occurred on Monday shortly before noon, with the aircraft going down shortly after takeoff. The status of the crew of the aircraft was not immediately known. Modern variants of the iconic bomber usually operate with four-to-five airmen on board.
“Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing. More information will be provided as it becomes available,” the base said in a statement.
The airfield has been put on lockdown following the incident and all inbound aircraft have been diverted, the base said in a follow-up statement. “All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations,” it added.
The plane caught fire upon impact. Footage circulating online shows a large plume of smoke rising into the sky. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash and ensuing blaze.
Introduced in 1955 as a carrier of free-fall nuclear bombs, and having undergone numerous upgrades over the decades, the B-52 remains one of the longest-serving aircraft in the US fleet. The US military is believed to have more than 70 upgraded B-52H planes in service, including nearly 60 in active-duty units. The planes have been used in multiple armed conflicts, with the US-Israeli attack on Iran marking the latest combat deployment of the iconic bombers.
Earlier on Monday, a Russian Tu-22M3 supersonic nuclear-capable aircraft crashed in Irkutsk Region in southeast Siberia during a training flight. The bomber crashed in an open area with no material damage or casualties inflicted on the ground, while its crew managed to eject safely, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.