A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber plane has "crashed shortly after take off" from Edwards Air Force Base in southern California, the base said in a statement.

The incident occurred at 11:20 local time (19:20 GMT). The base did not say whether there were any injuries as a result of the crash, which sent a huge plume of black smoke into the air that could be seen for miles

"Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing. More information will be provided as it becomes available," the base said in a statement.

A representative of the base declined to comment on the situation when contacted by BBC News.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been used by the US military since the 1950s. It is nicknamed "the Buff", which is partly short for "Big Ugly Fat".

Aerial footage showed a charred, smoking landscape where the crash occurred.

In a later update on X, the base said that "the airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted".

"All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations."

The B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber that has been participating in bombing raids on Iran during the latest US-Israeli war on the country.

Capable of flying at up to 50,000 feet (commercial airliners fly around 35,000 feet) the colossal bomber's 70,000lb payload can include hundreds of conventional bombs and 32 nuclear cruise missiles.

It can refuel in mid-air - giving it a potentially unlimited strike range. This created a "nuclear umbrella" for the United States during the Cold War, back in the era of Mutually Assured Destruction.

They typically carry a crew of five - an aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer.

Edwards Base is located around 100 miles (160km) north of Los Angeles, in the Mojave Desert.

Michigan Republican Congresswoman Lisa McClain was among the lawmakers posting about the crash, writing on X: "My prayers are with everyone involved in the B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base this afternoon."

She thanked emergency crews, who she wrote are "responding right now", and added: "Our service members carry the weight of this nation's defense every single day. We are with them."

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