A US Air Force B-1 bomber crashed in a secluded southeastern Montana area on Monday morning, but the four-man crew managed to survive through self-ejection prior to the impact, said Air Force officials.
Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing Commander Col. Kevin Kennedy said that the incident - which was supposed to be a part of the regular training session of their pilots - happened near Broadus minutes after the engine had taken off the Rapid City-based Ellsworth Air Force Base.
"We are actively working to ensure the safety of the crew members and have sent first responders to secure the scene and work closely with local authorities at the crash site," Kennedy said, adding that the injured men were rushed to the nearest South Dakota hospitals in Spearship and Rapid City.
The crew of four mainly comprised two Air Force pilots and two weapons system officers. No further details about the survivors as well as information on the exact cause of the crash were given at the moment.
"No one likes to lose an aircraft. It's bittersweet that we did." However, the 28th Bomb Wing Commander recognized the importance of the crew members' safety than that of the engine. Kennedy said that although plane ejections are only activated during emergency cases, this incident greatly threatened the crew members' lives; thus, the ejection was an imperative on their part. "Right now all of our thoughts and prayers are with the crews and their families."
Ellsworth AFB houses 28 B-1 bombers and is home to three B-1 squadrons. Meanwhile, there are about 60 B-1 planes left in the entire US Air Force fleet. These machines are intended for speedy, low-altitude combating missions.
Local Emergency Support
By the time the crash happened, the emergency sirens of Ekalaka, a neighboring town where the accident happened, were activated around 9 in the morning, prompting local fire department volunteers.
Several residents shared that ranchers saw the crew of four in parachute contraptions while the engine exploded mid-air prior to crashing against the solid land.
On the other hand, the Carter County Sheriff's Office also responded to the crash immediately after the sirens were activated.
It can be noted that the last accident involving a B-1 bomber was in December 2001, where a plane plummeted to the Indian Ocean after being involved in the war in Afghanistan. And although the crew of that said engine managed to survive, the cause of the incident remains to be unknown.
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