8 crew members are presumed dead after a B-52 bomber crashed at California's Edwards Air Force Base

Leon Neal/Getty Images A B-52 bomber crashed at Edwards Air Force Base, likely leaving eight crew members dead. The crash occurred during a routine test mission shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base. The Edwards Air Force Base is known for advanced flight testing programs. Eight crew members are believed dead after an Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday. Emergency responders rushed to the scene after the aircraft went down around 11:20 a.m. local time during what officials described as a "routine test mission." "An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after takeoff at 11:20 a.m. (PDT)," Edwards Air Force Base said in a social media statement. "Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable." Edwards Air Force Base did not immediately respond to a request for comments. Images from the crash showed a large plume of black smoke rising from the base. A large plume of black smoke rises from the Edwards Air Force Base. ALERTCalifornia, via REUTERS/Reuters Edwards Air Force Base posted on X that it has closed operations and diverted incoming aircraft as of 12:48 pm local time. Edwards Air Force Base is home to some of the military's most advanced flight-testing programs, including the Air Force Test Center and Test Pilot School. The 480 square-mile base in Kern County was where pilot Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound in 1947. The Boeing-made B-52 Stratofortress first entered service in the 1950s and remains a key part of the Air Force's bomber fleet. The aircraft has been used in conflicts in the Middle East, including recently against Iran. Read the original article on Business Insider