Pakistan, June 17 -- Eight people were killed after a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed in California during a routine test flight. The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base on Monday. The incident has prompted a major emergency response and a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.

According to officials, the bomber departed Edwards Air Force Base at about 11:20am local time for a scheduled test mission. The aircraft crashed minutes later northeast of Los Angeles. Authorities said initial assessments indicated the crash was not survivable, confirming the deaths of all eight people on board.

Speaking at a press briefing, Colonel James Hayes described the accident as a tragic loss. H...