USAF strategic bomber B-52 crashes at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam

The aircraft impacted airport terrain and a post impact fire ensued during an aborted takeoff attempt at Andersen Air Force Base (PGUA), Yigo.

The airplane Was apparently destroyed and there were no reported injuries among the seven crew members onboard, reported Associated Press.

The bomber was deployed to Guam from Minot, North Dakota, as part of the military’s continuous bomber presence in the Pacific, The Air Force said. The crew members are with the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and were performing a routine training mission, it said.

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The incident is under investigation. The Air Force is taking steps to mitigate any possible hydraulic oil and fuel contamination, said Capt. Ray Geoffroy, spokesman for Pacific Air Forces. The plane was taking off with a full load of fuel.

He said there was no danger to the community from any of the plane’s weapons.

A message left with the Minot base public affairs office seeking further comment was not immediately returned.

The Air Force has been rotating B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers through Guam since 2004 to boost the U.S. security presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

A B-52 crashed off Guam in 2008, killing all six crew members on board. That plane had been flying around the island as part of Guam Liberation Day celebrations, marking the day when the U.S. military arrived to retake control of the island from Japan during World War II. The B-52 had been scheduled to conduct a flyover in a parade.

Guam is a U.S. territory 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.

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About author:

Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov is the editor-in-chief of Defence Blog. He is a journalist, an accredited defense advisor, and a consultant. His background as a defense advisor and consultant adds a unique perspective to his journalistic endeavors, ensuring that his reporting is well-informed and authoritative. read more

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