JAPAN: A 500-pound unexploded World War II bomb found along the runway of Sendai airport forces closure of its runway and halts flights

Record ID: 357557

  • Title: JAPAN: A 500-pound unexploded World War II bomb found along the runway of Sendai airport forces closure of its runway and halts flights
  • Date: 30th October 2012
  • Summary: SENDAI, MIYAGI PREFECTURE, JAPAN (FILE - MARCH 12, 2011) (REUTERS) AERIAL VIEW OF BUILDING DAMAGED BY TSUNAMI AND SENDAI AIRPORT IN BACKGROUND AERIAL VIEW OF SENDAI AIRPORT BUILDING AERIAL VIEW OF SENDAI AIRPORT TERMINAL VARIOUS OF AERIAL OF SENDAI AIRPORT SURROUNDED BY WATER AERIAL OF BOARDING GATES AT SENDAI AIRPORT
  • Embargoed: 14th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVAE8LNO0R9BKE197B5I6GNU1XBG
  • Story Text: A 500-pound unexploded World War Two bomb was found along the runway of Sendai airport, forcing the closure of its runway and halting flights on Tuesday (October 30).
    Local media reported that the one metre long English-made bomb was found by workers who were restoring sewage pipes damaged by last year's earthquake.
    The Japan Self-Defence-Force was called to dispose off the bomb.
    The airport is expected to reopen on Wednesday, after a three-metre long concrete box to contain the bomb is built.
    On Tuesday, 92 flights were cancelled at Sendai airport and passengers had to switch to trains to get to locations as far as 500 kilometres away.
    "I'll be going by train," said one unidentified woman who was heading to Nagoya, central Japan.
    Sendai airport used to be an Imperial Japanese army training airbase and records show the base was bombed by the U.S. twice during World War II, according to local media.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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