Accident Overview
On 21 January 1968, a United States Air Force (USAF) B-52 bomber crashed onto sea ice in North Star Bay, near Thule Air Base in the Danish territory of Greenland. The aircraft, on a Cold War "Chrome Dome" alert mission over Baffin Bay, was carrying four B28FI thermonuclear bombs. A cabin fire forced the crew to abandon the aircraft before they could attempt an emergency landing at Thule Air Base.
Crew and Casualties
The crew consisted of seven members. Six ejected safely, but one crew member, who lacked an ejection seat, was killed while attempting to bail out.
Crash and Aftermath
The bomber struck the sea ice, causing the conventional explosives in the nuclear weapons to detonate. The nuclear payload ruptured and dispersed, leading to radioactive contamination of the area. The incident later became known as the Thule affair or Thule accident.
Radioactive Contamination
The detonation of the conventional explosives and the rupture of the nuclear bombs resulted in the release of radioactive material onto the ice and surrounding environment. Cleanup efforts were undertaken by the USAF and Danish authorities.