Tragic reports have confirmed that an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after taking off at Edwards Air Force Base, located in California, on Monday.
The incident killed all eight crew members on board. Military officials reviewed the footage of the initial ascent and swiftly deemed the fiery impact entirely unrecoverable and unsurvivable.
The crash occurred at about 11:20 local time inside the perimeter of Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California's Mojave Desert. The eight deaths included a mixed crew of uniformed military personnel, government civilians, and defense contractors. The aviation manufacturer Boeing shared how two of its employees were among those dead.
This heavy bomber was said to be taking part in a local routine test flight supporting the Air Force's ongoing radar modernization program. Aerial footage showed a giant blackened scar on the airfield with virtually no recognizable pieces of the massive plane remaining.
Investigations are taking place to determine the exact cause of this crash.