A U.S. B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber crashed Monday in California shortly after takeoff, Edwards Air Force Base announced, without immediately providing information on the fate of the crew.

"A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base at 11:20 a.m." (6:20 p.m. GMT), the base wrote on Facebook, indicating that "rescue services responded immediately and the operation was underway."

Footage filmed from a helicopter showed a large charred area near the base, located about 95 kilometers north of Los Angeles in a desert region. The aircraft appeared to be completely destroyed.

A spokesperson for the base declined to provide further information.

A journalist aboard the helicopter reported a "large plume" of black smoke rising into the sky after the crash. Several emergency vehicles were deployed to the area.

A B-52 bomber is typically flown by a crew of five: a captain, a co-pilot, a radar navigator, a navigator, and an electronic warfare officer, according to the U.S. Air Force.

In another statement, the airbase then indicated that it had closed its airfield and was diverting all aircraft that were due to land there, "in order to allow the facility to fully concentrate on emergency response operations".

The B-52 has been in service with the US Air Force since the 1950s. With a long range of up to 14,160 kilometers, this imposing bomber is capable of carrying a wide variety of weapons, including nuclear warheads.

The United States deployed it during conflicts in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan and more recently in Iran.

AFP