An unexploded WWII American bomb detonated at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan today, creating a significant crater in the taxiway and bringing airport operations to screeching halt.
The explosive went off in the early morning hours, during a period of low activity at the coastal airport. Fortunately, no aircraft were in the vicinity of the bomb at the time of the explosion.
Online surveillance footage captures the explosion, which sent a towering column of dirt and smoke into the atmosphere. The characteristics of the blast indicate that the munition had been buried deep under the surface of the taxiway.
Local media reports indicate that the explosion was triggered by a 500-pound US bomb, which had been buried beneath the airport since World War II, according to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and police. Authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unexpected detonation.
Miyazaki Airport was initially established as a military airfield in 1943 at an Imperial Japanese Navy base. It functioned as a significant base area for kamikaze pilots, with nearly 50 suicide missions launched from this location.
Today’s detonation resulted in a large crater on one of the airport’s taxiways. Consequently, the airport was closed, leading to the grounding of over 70 flights in the aftermath of the blast
Airport officials stated that they anticipate the air hub to resume operations tomorrow following the completion of the hole filling and the repair of the taxiway surface.
