HAGATNA, Guam (AFP) — All six crew on board a US Air Force B-52 bomber were killed when it crashed off the western Pacific island of Guam earlier this week, Air Force officials said Thursday.
Officials named the crew and said two bodies had been positively identified following the crash off the US territory's northwest coast on Monday morning.
"Losing this bomber crew has been a tragedy felt by everyone here and across the Air Force," said 36th Wing commander Brigadier General Doug Owens.
The joint civilian and military rescue teams recovered the bodies of two aircrew members Monday and other remains were being examined by forensic specialists, the air force said in a statement.
Search and rescue teams were continuing attempts to recover the remains of the rest of the crew.
The bomber, which carried no weapons or munitions, was on a training mission and was scheduled to perform a flyover to celebrate Guam's Liberation Day on Monday.
The Stratofortress B-52 and its crew were on deployment in Guam from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
The B-52 accident is the second so far this year near the US territory. In February, a B-2 stealth bomber crashed on the Pacific island after taking off from Andersen Air Force Base, but its crew members survived.
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