US Air Force’s B-52 bomber has crashed. Officials said that the B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday.
In a statement issued by the airbase, it has been said that the bomber jet crashed at Edwards Airfield at around 11:20 am local time. An emergency rescue team has been immediately sent to the spot and the rescue operation is going on.
The Air Force base said that the airfield has been closed and the path of all incoming aircraft is being changed. The base also said that all non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further orders.
A video of this incident has surfaced, in which a large part of the desert area was seen burnt and smoldering. It was almost the size of a football field. In the video, a huge plume of black smoke is seen rising from the desert. No large piece of aircraft debris was visible in the footage.
The base said that emergency teams immediately reached the spot after the crash but did not give any information about the number of crew members on board the plane. The officials have not yet given information about the casualties in this accident. The reason for the plane’s crash is not yet known.
The B-52 Stratofortress usually has a crew of 5 people. It is a long-range bomber jet, which was inducted in 1955. It can carry a payload of up to 31,750 kg. It has been designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. It has been used in operations ranging from the Vietnam War to the Iran War. A B-52 bomber jet costs $110 million.
Edwards is a large airbase built in the desert, which is about 160 kilometers from Los Angeles and is the largest airfield in the world. About 10 thousand American Army soldiers live in this place.
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