At Least Two Dead in Bomber Crash

The Air Force has confirmed that at least two are dead out of the six-member crew of the B-52H bomber that crashed Monday morning (about 9:45 a.m. local time) off the northwest coast of Guam. A joint search and rescue effort recovered the two bodies and was still ongoing for the remaining crew. According to a July 21 Air Force release, officials had determined the identity of one of the airmen recovered, but they were withholding that information pending notification of next of kin. The B-52 and its crew had deployed to Andersen Air Force Base from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La. It arrived in June at Andersen as part of a regular, four-month rotation of bombers. The current nine B-52s relieved another group of Barksdale B-52s. Joining the Air Force in the search efforts are the Navy, Coast Guard, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Guam Fire and Rescue and Police. The bomber was on a training mission that included participation in a flyover marking Guam’s Liberation Day. There were no weapons aboard.