Buried U.S. World War II Bomb Explodes At Japanese Airport; Over 80 Flights Cancelled
More than 80 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, Japanese officials confirmed.
A 500-pound unexploded bomb from World War II unexpectedly detonated at Miyazaki Airport, Japan, causing a large crater and disrupting airport operations.
More than 80 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, Japanese officials confirmed.
Though no one was injured and there were no aircraft nearby, the explosion occurred on a taxiway, The Associated Press reports.
The bomb, identified as U.S. ordnance, had been buried since the war, said Land and Transport Ministry officials.
Videos captured by a nearby aviation school showed asphalt debris flying into the air. The crater created by the blast was reportedly about 7 metres in diameter and 1 metre deep.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed the flight cancellations, but airport operations resumed Thursday after overnight repairs. The airport, initially a Japanese Navy flight training field during WWII, has unearthed several bombs from that era.
The Self-Defense Forces and police are investigating the cause of the sudden detonation.
Japanese Defense Ministry officials noted that unexploded bombs from WWII remain a frequent issue in Japan, sometimes found during construction work.
