Eight die as US B-52 bomber crashes after takeoff from Edwards AFB

Eight people have been confirmed dead after a B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed moments after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base, northeast of Los Angeles, on Monday morning, June 15, 2026. The aircraft had departed on a routine test flight at about 11:20 a.m. local time before going down shortly after takeoff. Authorities described the incident as the deadliest B-52 crash since 1982, when nine crew members were killed during a training exercise at Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento.

The crash shifted from a rescue to a recovery operation, with officials saying the tragedy was "tragic and unsurvivable." On board were military personnel, civilian government employees, and contractors, including two Boeing employees. Emergency responders were deployed, and efforts are underway to notify the families of the victims. Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the Edwards AFB community.

Air Force authorities said the bomber was participating in a radar modernisation programme test at the time of the crash. A formal investigation will commence immediately, though detailed findings may not be publicly available for approximately six months. Operations at the base remain suspended until Tuesday. The incident highlights risks in military aviation and serves as a reminder of the human cost associated with such test flights.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/16/eight-feared-dead-as-us-air-force-b-52-crashes-in-california/