US-Spain Negotiations On 1966 B-52 Bomber Crash Cleanup To Restart Soon - White House

Negotiations between the United States and Spain regarding the cleanup of a 1966 B-52 nuclear bomber crash in the latter will restart soon, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2023) Negotiations between the United States and Spain regarding the cleanup of a 1966 B-52 nuclear bomber crash in the latter will restart soon, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Friday.

In January 1966, a US B-52 bomber carrying four thermonuclear weapons collided with a tanker during mid-air refueling over the Spanish coast, breaking apart the strategic bomber and sending its payload to the ground below, where it landed near the fishing village of Palomares. Two of the bombs' non-nuclear explosives detonated, contaminating the nearby area with radioactive material.

"We conducted remediation following that accident in 1966.

We do anticipate that negotiations on an agreement will restart soon, and we're looking forward to that. We're looking forward to working with our Spanish partners on an agreement that's related to further cleanup efforts at the site," Kirby said during a press briefing.

US President Joe Biden is willing to discuss the matter with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez during their talks in Washington on Friday, Kirby added.

In March, the Spanish Foreign Ministry submitted a formal request to the US government to remove the contaminated soil, pointing to a commitment signed in October 2015 to pursue the matter.