Bomb suspected to be from World War II explodes at Japanese airport

Miyazaki Airport closed its runway after an explosion left a 1-meter-deep, 7-meter-wide crater in the middle of a taxiway next to the runway on October 2, a transport ministry official said.

Because unexploded American bombs from World War II were frequently found at the airport, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force sent a bomb disposal unit to investigate. The team later discovered that the cause of the explosion was an American bomb buried underground, possibly from a wartime air raid.

The explosion at Miyazaki airport created a crater 1 meter deep and 7 meters wide in the middle of the taxiway next to the runway. Photo: Kyodo

No injuries were reported. Live footage showed a plane taxiing nearby just two minutes before the explosion. Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said the runway closure had delayed 87 flights.

Located in the southeast of Kyushu Island, Miyazaki Airport was a former Japanese naval base until the end of World War II. A Transport Ministry official said earlier that several unexploded bombs had been found at Miyazaki Airport.

More than 79 years after the war ended, unexploded bombs from the intense air raids are still found across Japan to this day. According to the Japan Self-Defense Forces, a total of 2,348 bombs were disposed of in fiscal 2023.

Hoai Phuong (according to JT, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bom-my-tu-the-chien-ii-phat-no-o-san-bay-nhat-ban-post314926.html