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Guam crash for B-2 stealth bomber US stealth bomber crashes on Guam
(about 1 hour later)
A US B-2 stealth bomber - one of the world's most expensive military aircraft - has crashed on the Pacific island of Guam. A US B-2 stealth bomber - one of the most expensive military aircraft in the world - has crashed at an air base on the Pacific island of Guam.
The jet crashed shortly after taking off from the island's Andersen Air Force Base, but both pilots ejected and survived, the US Air Force (USAF) said. The United States Air Force (USAF) said both pilots had ejected safely before the plane came down at Andersen Air Force Base, shortly after take-off.
Black smoke could be seen billowing from the site, witnesses said. A spokeswoman said it was the first time a B-2 had crashed.
B-2 bombers cost $1.2bn each to build. They are capable of deploying both conventional and nuclear weapons. B-2 bombers, which can evade most radar signals, cost about $1.2bn (£610m) each to build.
Crowds gathered as emergency vehicles attended the scene after the crash, which happened around 1045 local time (0045 GMT). They have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 km) without refuelling and have seen service in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
No mission details class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/2551685.stm">Fact file: B-2 stealth bomber class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/4102043.stm">Profile: Guam
Both pilots had been medically evaluated and were "in good condition", the USAF said. Thick, black smoke could be seen coming from the wreckage following the crash.
B-2 bombers have seen service in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/2551685.stm">Fact file: B-2 stealth bomber Lieutenant Colonel Doug Smith from the USAF told the BBC that the crash would be investigated.
A board of officers will investigate the causes of the incident. "The two pilots... ejected prior to the crash. One of them was medically evaluated and released and the other is in a stable condition at a naval hospital," he said.
A brief USAF statement did not provide details of the bomber's mission in Guam, a US territory 6,000 km (3,700 miles) south-west of Hawaii. Guam is a US territory 3,700 miles south-west of Hawaii. Its capital is Hagatna.
The USAF has 21 B-2 bombers based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, but several have been rotated through Guam since 2004.
The craft have been used for missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.
Able to fly 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 kilometres) without refuelling, the B-2 can evade most radar signals making it difficult for defensive systems to detect, track and attack.