Photos circulating online appeared to show a fire not far from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota
A long-range US B-1B Lancer bomber has crashed outside Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, military officials said, noting the accident took place as the aircraft wrapped up a training mission.
The Ellsworth air base confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday night, saying the bomber went down around 6pm local time while attempting to land at the installation.
“At the time of the accident, it was on a training mission. There were four aircrew on board. All four ejected safely,” the statement said, adding that an investigation had been launched.
Unconfirmed images making the rounds on social media were alleged to show a fire outside the military base, though officials offered few details about the aftermath of the crash.
Images from Cameras used by the South Dakota Department of Transportation showing the Fire currently ongoing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City following the reported Crash of a B-1B “Lancer” Heavy Bomber. https://t.co/3znNebjBg0
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 5, 2024