Breaking: US Air Force B-52 Bomber Crashes After Take-Off
- The United States was thrown into another moment of grief as eight people died in the Air Force B-52 bomber crash
- It was reported that the aircraft crashed soon after taking off at the Edwards Air Force Base in southern California on Monday, June 15
- Col James Hayes, the spokesperson of the base, disclosed that the casualties include military, government civilians and government contractors
Two Boeing employees and six others have reportedly died following the crash of a US Air Force B-52 bomber. The incident happened soon after the aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base in southern California.
The incident, which happened on Monday, June 15, at about 11:20 local time (19:20 GMT), occurred while the aircraft was on a routine test mission. From miles away, eyewitnesses could see a huge plume of black smoke in the air.
Source: Getty Images
US explains the B-52 bomber crash
According to the BBC, Col James Hayes, the spokesperson of the base, said that the aircraft was carrying a "mixed crew", which included military personnel, civilians and government contractors. He explained that the earlier indications show that the crash was not survivable.
He noted that the next of kin of the crew were being reached out to, and their names would be released within 24 hours. According to Hayes, the crash was contained within the runway of the Edwards Air Force Base, where operations had been temporarily grounded.
Hayes further explained that the B-52, which had been supporting the radar modernisation programme of the base, crashed immediately after takeoff and burst into flames.
Reactions as a US B-52 bomber crashes
However, the news of the incident has started generating reactions from Americans. Below are some of their comments:
Ahmad expressed grief about the incident:
"If confirmed, this is the kind of incident that immediately shifts from a military story to a human one. Right now, the only thing that truly matters is the condition of the crew and rescue personnel on the ground. A B-52 is one of the most iconic aircraft ever built, but every headline like this is first and foremost about the people involved."
Source: Getty Images
Jessie Hermosillo posited that the aircraft is old:
"It's high time we scrap the B-52, and it's not alone. The U-2 and KC-135 are the same vintage, all designed in the 1950s, and are still flying. Retire the whole Eisenhower-era fleet and build for this century."
Alli Olabisi
"Good riddance to bad rubbish. One less aeroplane to drop bombs on innocent school children and their teachers..."
Sanjeev expressed worries about the incident:
"Pains to see loss of lives due to mishaps like these. There was another incident that happened yesterday in India that resulted in the loss of 5 personnel. Not sure when we will have foolproof technology that can avert these incidents."
See the video of the incident on X here:
Trump reacts as Iran shoots down US aircraft
Legit.ng earlier reported that the US President Donald Trump confirmed Iran shot down a US Apache helicopter during a patrol in the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident escalated tensions and raised concerns following US-Israel military operations against Iran.
Public reactions from Americans reflected divided opinions on Trump's handling of the war against Iran in the Middle East.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
