A B-52 bomber crashed in California (1 photo + 2 videos)
Eight people were killed after a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in southern California, base officials said. 
The incident occurred at 11:20 a.m. local time (19:20 GMT, 22:20 Moscow time). The aircraft was on a scheduled test flight. After the crash, a large column of black smoke rose into the sky.
"A terrible tragedy occurred today at Edwards Air Force Base, and we lost eight wonderful Americans," Colonel James Hayes told reporters, describing them as a mixed crew of military personnel, government civilians, and contractors.
He said the B-52, which was part of a radar upgrade program at the base, crashed shortly after takeoff and caught fire.
The cause has not yet been determined and will not be determined during a series of investigations, which could take up to 30 days. Further investigation into the cause could take more than six months, Hayes added.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been used by the US military since the 1950s. It is a long-range strategic bomber that participated in the bombing of Iran during the most recent US-Israeli war against that country.
Capable of flying at altitudes of up to 15 km (commercial airliners fly at about 10 km), this large bomber has a payload of approximately 35 tons, which can include hundreds of conventional bombs and 32 nuclear cruise missiles.
