B-52 crashes on takeoff from base in California

A US Air Force B-52 aircraft crashed and exploded Thursday while taking off from Mather Air Force Base on a training flight, killing all nine crew members aboard.

The Pentagon in Washington said up to nine crew members may have been aboard. There was no word from the scene about survivors. Officials said the bomber, able to carrying nuclear weapons, was unarmed. The plane had just taken off from the base east of Sacramento.