At least one person is dead and another injured after Virgin Galactic’s
SpaceShipTwo space tourism craft crashed in the California desert.

The craft was flying a manned test when it experienced what the company described as “a serious anomaly”.

It was undergoing its first powered test flight since January over the Mojave Desert, north of Los Angeles.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson tweeted he was flying to California “to be with the team”.

“Thoughts with all @virgingalactic & Scaled, thanks for all your messages of support,” Sir Richard said."

Both pilots were employed by Scaled Composites. One was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was transported to a local hospital in an unknown condition.