Palomares B-52 crash

Palomares B-52 crash
Name	Palomares B-52 crash
Date	January 17, 1966
Site	Near Palomares, Almería, Spain
Coordinates	37, 15, 00, N...
Aircraft type	Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator	United States Air Force
Tail number	58-0256
Origin	Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Stopover	Morón Air Base
Destination	Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Other fatalities	4 (on KC-135 Stratotanker)

Palomares B-52 crash. The Palomares B-52 crash was a major incident involving the United States Air Force and Spanish Air Force that occurred on January 17, 1966. A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress carrying four thermonuclear weapons collided with a KC-135 Stratotanker during aerial refueling over the Mediterranean Sea. The accident resulted in the conventional explosives in two of the weapons detonating upon impact, dispersing plutonium and other radioactive materials across the Spanish countryside near the village of Palomares.

Background and context

During the height of the Cold War, the Strategic Air Command maintained a continuous airborne alert known as Operation Chrome Dome. This involved B-52 Stratofortress bombers armed with thermonuclear weapons flying routes near the borders of the Soviet Union. The mission on January 17, 1966, originated from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina and was scheduled to include a refueling operation over the Mediterranean Sea before returning to its base. The geopolitical tensions of the era, including the ongoing Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, underscored the high-stakes nature of these continuous patrols. The specific aircraft involved was assigned to the 68th Bombardment Wing and was manned by a crew of seven experienced airmen.

The accident

While conducting a routine aerial refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker from Morón Air Base near Seville, the two aircraft collided at approximately 30,500 feet over the coast of Almería. The KC-135 Stratotanker exploded, killing all four crew members aboard. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress broke apart, with three of its seven crew members perishing. The four surviving crew members managed to eject and parachute to safety. The bomber was carrying four B28FI thermonuclear bombs, each with a yield of 1.45 megatons. The high-explosive triggers in two of the weapons detonated upon hitting the ground, creating craters and scattering radioactive plutonium and uranium over the agricultural area surrounding Palomares.

Recovery of nuclear weapons

The immediate recovery effort, codenamed Operation Broken Arrow, became a joint mission between the United States Air Force and the Spanish Air Force. Three of the weapons were located on land within 24 hours. The fourth bomb fell into the Mediterranean Sea, triggering an extensive and highly publicized search operation led by the United States Navy. Utilizing advanced technology including the DSV ''Alvin'' and the USS ''Petrel'', the weapon was finally recovered intact on April 7, 1966, after nearly 80 days of searching. The successful recovery, aided by a local fisherman named Francisco Simó Orts, averted a potential international crisis and was a significant feat for the Office of Naval Research.

Aftermath and cleanup

The conventional explosions contaminated approximately 650 acres of land with radioactive material, primarily plutonium-239. A massive cleanup operation, involving hundreds of American military personnel and Spanish civil guards, was launched. Over 1,400 tons of contaminated soil and vegetation were removed and shipped to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina for disposal. The U.S. government, through the Atomic Energy Commission, also conducted a program to monitor and compensate local residents. The incident led to significant diplomatic friction between the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and the government of Spanish caudillo Francisco Franco, though both worked to minimize public alarm.

Long-term health and environmental effects

Long-term studies by agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Complutense University of Madrid have monitored the health of the local population and the environment. While initial fears of widespread cancer increases have not been conclusively proven by epidemiological studies, elevated levels of plutonium and americium remain detectable in some areas. The Spanish government, in agreement with the United States Department of Energy, continues to manage the site, implementing land-use restrictions. A major final remediation project was completed in 2015, involving the removal of additional contaminated soil, which was transported to a secure facility in El Cabril.

In popular culture

The incident has been featured in various documentaries and books examining the Cold War and nuclear safety. It was a central subject in the book *The Day We Lost the H-Bomb* by Barbara Moran and has been covered in television series produced by National Geographic and the BBC. The event also influenced public perception of nuclear weapons safety, contributing to the eventual cancellation of Operation Chrome Dome by the Pentagon in 1968. The story of the search for the lost bomb inspired elements in the film *Men of Honor* and has been referenced in discussions of other military accidents like the 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash.

Category:1966 in Spain Category:B-52 Stratofortress accidents Category:United States Air Force accidents and incidents Category:Nuclear weapons accidents