A US bombshell blast leaves a huge crater at Miyazaki Airport, prompting cancellation of nearly 90 flights.
A buried US bombshell, likely dropped during World War II, exploded near the runway of Miyazaki Airport in Japan, causing the closure of the regional airport. The blast, which left a crater seven metres wide and one metre deep, damaged the runway and resulted in the cancellation of all 87 flights scheduled for the day.
Miyazaki Airport, known as a base for “kamikaze” pilots during the war, was shut down after the blast. A bomb disposal team later confirmed that the explosion was caused by a US bomb buried beneath the surface, dating back to a wartime air raid.
No injuries were reported, but the blast forced the closure of the runway. Repair works are underway, and the runway is expected to reopen on Thursday morning. The affected flights were operated by various airlines connecting Miyazaki with cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
‘Kamikaze’ base
Miyazaki Airport served as a Japanese navy base during World War II, where numerous kamikaze pilots took off on their final missions. Unexploded US bombs have been previously found at the airport, highlighting the ongoing presence of wartime remnants across Japan.