Environment US Forced to Drop 4 Unexploded Bombs on Great Barrier Reef

[tom_mai78101]

Two U.S. Marine Corps’ (USMC) AV-8B Harrier jets were forced to drop 4 bombs on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia this week, NBC News is reporting, citing two unidentified U.S. officials.

The incident occurred on July 16 while the jets were flying on a training mission that would have them drop the ordnances on a bombing range on Townshend Island, an island off the coast of Queensland in Australia.

For an unidentified reason, the bombing range was not cleared by the time the jets reached it, forcing them to pull back. According to the news report, the jets could not land with the ordnances still on board and after circling around, they soon began running low on fuel.

“They chose to save the aircraft,” NBC News quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying.

Each jet dropped two 500-pound bombs on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral marine in the world. Fortunately, two of the bombs, BDU 45s, were inert to begin with and thus did not explode. The other two ordnances, GBU 12s, were unarmed when the pilots decided to drop them and have not yet exploded.

US Forced to Drop 4 Unexploded Bombs on Great Barrier Reef

This week US Marine jets were forced to drop four 500-pound bombs on the world’s largest coral reef in Australia.

thediplomat.com

 

[WildTurkey]

Well... That's good to know...

 

[Accname]

what the fuck?!? They cant bomb the great barrier reef! Isnt that like a cultural heritage or something?!
Now those chinamen will just swim out there, get the bombs and thwo them back at us!

 

[camelCase]

Uh..
Couldn't they have flown a little further away from the reef before dropping it?

 

[OMGOMGOMG]

Gah, people should think about doing shit like this. Make's me angry that people would do shit like this.

 

[Nyph]

I don't see what the problem is, considering none of them were primed when dropped and none have exploded...? Would you rather the plane crashed into the reef?

Edit:

Isnt that like a cultural heritage or something?!

A world heritage site, just like Bikini Atoll.

 

[OMGOMGOMG]

That's not the point. I find it annoying that they wouldn't think something through. Personally, when I plan on doing something, it's always thoroughly planned out and so if something does go wrong, they have a second/third/fourth/fifth option (should they ever need a sixth, it's there).

 

[Nyph]

That's not the point. I find it annoying that they wouldn't think something through. Personally, when I plan on doing something, it's always thoroughly planned out and so if something does go wrong, they have a second/third/fourth/fifth option (should they ever need a sixth, it's there).

Yeah but nothing really went bad though. So there is no problem. Unprimed bombs don't explode.

 

[Slapshot136]

Yeah but nothing really went bad though. So there is no problem. Unprimed bombs don't explode.

it's still leaving 2 tons of junk at a national heritage site - imagine how much pollution/trash 2 tons left behind is - that's the equivalent of how many tourists?

 

[Accname]

it's still leaving 2 tons of junk at a national heritage site - imagine how much pollution/trash 2 tons left behind is - that's the equivalent of how many tourists?

3

 

[FireCat]

Pure Stupidity!
Someone could Just pick up the bombs, and sell It ! It could even wash up on the beaches

 

[KMilz]

Really, the question is... why the reef? Why not just a little bit over so it wouldn't damage that fragile thing?

 

[mushroom911]

Sounds like the beginning of an episode of Archer

 

[Accname]

Sounds like the beginning of an episode of Archer

+1

 

[camelCase]

Yeah but nothing really went bad though. So there is no problem. Unprimed bombs don't explode.

Because they were fucktard enough to not have thought of dropping it somewhere a further away from the fuckin' reef.

 

[Dan]

Uh..
Couldn't they have flown a little further away from the reef before dropping it?

The reef may be bigger than you think. XD

 

[Cilla]

Pure Stupidity!
Someone could Just pick up the bombs, and sell It ! It could even wash up on the beaches

Sure FireCat! Take your little motorboat and just pick up a 500pound bomb.

Also this wouldnt wash up on the beaches even if there was no reef between it!


You really should not talk about pure stupidity, I can't stand this spam on every article..

 

[Cilla]

it's still leaving 2 tons of junk at a national heritage site - imagine how much pollution/trash 2 tons left behind is - that's the equivalent of how many tourists?

How do four 500 pound bombs add up to two tons?

 

[FireCat]

Take your little motorboat and just pick up a 500pound bomb.

Also this wouldnt wash up on the beaches even if there was no reef between it!

Never Know LOL

Idiotic' pair pick up unexploded 2ft bombs that washed ashore - to 'sell them for scrap metal'

The MoD today recovered two 2ft-long unexploded bombs which were seen being casually carried along by two men who found them washed up on a beach. The pair were pictured with the two potentially deadly rusty 120mm tank shells slung over the shoulders. Onlookers watched as the men strolled past them with the explosives that date back to the Cold War
It is believed the unidentified pair may have seized the bombs to try and later cash in as scrap metal.

The MoD confirmed today following an urgent appeal that the shells had been 'swiftly recovered'.

The shells were found washed up at Warbarrow Bay, Dorset. The area is part of the 7,000-acre Lulworth Military Range used by the Army for tank firing practice..

Read Moar Here.

Damn such a "STUPIDITY"

 

[Slapshot136]

How do four 500 pound bombs add up to two tons?

stupid imperial system...