The US Air Force has confirmed the deaths of eight crew members after a B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed in a remote area of Northern California. The aircraft, assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, was on a training mission when it went down shortly after 10am local time on Tuesday. Witnesses reported seeing a fireball and hearing a thunderous explosion near the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Emergency services are on scene, but the Pentagon has already launched an investigation. The cause of the crash is unknown, though foul play has not been ruled out. Sources within the Air Force say the bomber was part of a routine sortie to test long-range strike capabilities.
The B-52 has been in service since the 1950s, but age alone does not explain a catastrophe of this magnitude. Too many questions left unanswered. The families of the fallen are being notified.
The Pentagon is expected to hold a press conference later today. This is a developing story. We stay on the trail.
