A US B-52 bomber loaded with nuclear weapons collides with a tanker plane on January 17, 1966 during a midair refueling operation off the coast of Almeria, Spain. Seven of the total 11 crew members were killed. The crash caused four hydrogen bombs to tumble from the B-52.
Three of the bombs crashed on land near the coastal village of Palomares. The bombs did not explode but two cracked open and dispersed 7 pounds of radioactive plutonium with the wind. One of the hydrogen bombs was later recovered intact in the Mediterranean on April 7, 1966.
In response to the contamination, the U.S. and Spanish authorities conducted cleanup operations, removing approximately 1,750 tons of radioactive soil, which was shipped to the United States for disposal. Residual contamination persisted, leading to ongoing monitoring and a 2015 agreement between Spain and the U.S. to further remediate the area. As of 2025, some contaminated land remains, and the cleanup has not been fully completed.
Politically, the accident prompted Spain to ban U.S. flights carrying nuclear weapons over its territory. The Palomares accident, along with a similar B-52 crash in Thule, Greenland, in 1968, contributed to the termination of Operation Chrome Dome. More
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