B-52 Crashes Near Guam, Six Crew on Board

A U.S. B-52 strategic bomber crashed in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Guam today, prompting a major aerial and surface-level rescue effort that recovered two of the flight’s six passengers as of this morning, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, July 15).

The plane from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, intended as part of an ongoing bomber presence in the region, was destroyed on its way to a parade marking the anniversary of Guam’s U.S. military seizure in World War II. 

Navy, Coast Guard and local fire personnel were summoned to respond to the accident, which took place at 9:45 a.m. about 30 miles from the island’s Apra Harbor.

A board of military officers will examine the incident, Air Force officials said.

The crash followed the Feb. 26 crash of a B-2 strategic bomber at the same base. Both crew members safely ejected from that aircraft (Jaymes Song, Associated Press/Google News, July 21).

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