Eight people, including two Boeing employees, were killed when a US Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California during a routine test mission.

The aircraft burst into flames on the runway, creating a large plume of smoke, and officials said the crash was not survivable.

The crew was described as a mix of military personnel, government civilians, and contractors, and the incident was fully contained within the base.

Operations at Edwards Air Force Base were temporarily suspended while emergency response efforts began and investigations were launched into the cause, the BBC has reported.

The B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range bomber in service since the 1950s, was supporting a radar modernization program at the time of the crash.