Eight people lost their lives Tuesday when a B-52 bomber crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California, making it the deadliest accident involving that type of aircraft since 1982.
The B-52 Stratofortress — an eight-engine jet built to carry both nuclear and conventional weapons — went down during what military officials called a routine test mission. The aircraft had lifted off from the remote base at 11:20 a.m. local time before the crash occurred.
At a press conference, Col. James Hayes addressed the tragedy head-on. “Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a terrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” he said. Hayes went on to describe the victims as a “mixed crew of military, government civilians, and government contractors.”
Earlier in the day, the base had released a statement saying initial indications suggested the crash “was not survivable.” Military officials confirmed that response efforts have since transitioned fully to recovery operations. Black smoke rising from the crash site could be seen from miles away.
Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, confirmed that two of its employees were among those on board. “We are in contact with their families and are offering support,” the company said in a statement.
The tragedy drew condolences from high-ranking officials across the country. Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink and House Speaker Mike Johnson both took to social media to express their sympathies. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also offered his condolences to “the entire Edwards Air Force Base community” and praised the first responders who answered the call.
Col. Hayes said military investigators will work to piece together what led to the crash, but cautioned that detailed findings are not expected to be made public for roughly six months.
No information about the identities of the victims or the specific circumstances of the crash has been released. Authorities say the priority right now is recovery, followed by a thorough investigation into one of the worst B-52 disasters in decades.
