An unexploded U.S. bomb from World War II detonated at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan on Wednesday, leaving a large crater on a taxiway and causing the cancellation of more than 80 flights. Despite the disruption, no injuries were reported, according to Japanese officials.
The explosion, which occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time, was caused by a 500-pound bomb that had been buried at the site for decades. The bomb suddenly detonated, sending pieces of asphalt into the air and leaving a crater about 7 meters (23 feet) wide and 1 meter (3 feet) deep. Video footage captured by a nearby aviation school showed the force of the blast, and images were broadcast on Japanese television.
World War II bomb explodes on a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan forcing the closure of its runway.
The transport ministry said its officials found a hole with a diameter of 7 meters and a depth of 1 meter on the taxiway after an explosion was heard around 8 a.m… pic.twitter.com/eFYXPx2ri7
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 2, 2024
Miyazaki Airport, originally built as a flight training field for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1943, has been the site of multiple discoveries of unexploded ordnance. Officials from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and police are investigating the cause of the bomb’s sudden detonation. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi assured the public that there is no further danger and that operations at the airport could resume by Thursday morning.
Hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs remain buried across the country, often discovered during construction projects. Last year alone, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces disposed of more than 2,300 bombs weighing 41 tons.
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