‘Five people presumed dead after military aircraft carrying nuclear material’ crashes in California

A military aircraft carrying nuclear material has crashed in California, leaving officials to believe all five passengers are dead.

The plane crashed in Imperial County near Highway 78 and the town of Glamis – 30 miles north of the Mexican border, and 150 miles east of San Diego.

The crash was confirmed by Naval Air Facility El Centro, 30 miles from the crash site. 

Officials believe at least five people were aboard at the time of the crash.

Investigators have presumed all passengers are dead, according to FOX 5 reporter Malik Earnest.

Footage from News 11 Yuma showed military personnel and first responders gathering in the desert, with a helicopter flying off to the crash site. Smoke could be faintly seen on the horizon.  

First responders and military personnel are seen arriving at the site of Wednesday’s crash

A helicopter is seen on Wednesday taking off near Glamis, to aid the rescue effort

The aircraft crashed on military land in a desert area 30 miles from the border with Mexico

U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform at Naval Air Facility El Centro on March 13, 2021. The base is only around 30 miles from the site of the crash

Glamis is famed for the Algodones Dunes, 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. This is where the crash occurred 

It is unknown what caused the crash or what type of nuclear material was onboard.

Military officials are currently at the scene of the crash and an investigation is underway. 

The Calexico Chronicle reported that ‘radio chatter’ suggested the aircraft was a V-22 Osprey. 

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, which is en route to the crash site, has a fleet of Ospreys.

The day before the crash, MCAS Yuma posted that it was carrying out exercises last month.

‘An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) transports ordnance during an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation (EABO) exercise to Old Highway 101 near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 25, 2022,’ they said.

‘This exercise will continue to assess the overall U.S. Marine Corps’ EABOs to improve requirements and sustain lessons learned for future deployments to support the air combat element and objectives of Force Design 2030.’

Naval Air Facility El Centro is around 30 miles from the crash site

This is developing story. More to come.