US B-52 crashes off Guam, two killed, four missing

WASHINGTON: A US Air Force B-52 bomber crashed off the coast of Guam in the central Pacific killing two crew members and leaving four others missing, navy officials said.
 
A brief statement from the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam said the B-52H Stratofortress crashed at approximately 9:45am (0325 GMT) off the northwest coast of Guam.

"The bodies of two B-52 crewmembers were recovered ... approximately 30 miles northwest of Guam ... The joint effort continues search and rescue operations in the area" for the four missing crewmembers, it said.

Taking part in the rescue efforts are the US Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, the Drug Enforcement Agency, as well as Guam Fire and Rescue and Police Department.

The bomber was on a training mission and was scheduled to perform a flyover to celebrate Guam's Liberation Day. It was carrying no weapons or munitions, the navy said.

The B-52 accident is the second so far this year near the US territory in the northwestern Pacific.

In February, a B-2 stealth bomber crashed on the Pacific island after taking off from Andersen, but its crew members survived.