A World War II-era bomb exploded near the runway of Miyazaki Airport in southwest Japan on Wednesday, forcing the airport to close and causing the cancellation of 87 flights, NBC News reports.
The explosion created a crater 23 feet wide and nearly 3 feet deep in the taxiway, just off the runway.
According to a Japanese transport ministry official, a bomb disposal team from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force confirmed that the explosion was caused by an American bomb, likely dropped during wartime air raids.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, chilling footage from local broadcaster MRT showed an airplane taxiing past the site just two minutes before the explosion.
“It is truly a lucky escape,” said the official. “The aircraft was very close to the point of explosion, and the consequences could have been much more severe.”
Miyazaki Airport, located at the southeast end of Kyushu island, was a Japanese navy base during World War II. Hundreds of young “kamikaze” pilots launched their final missions from the base.
The transport ministry official stated that multiple unexploded bombs have been found at Miyazaki Airport in the past. Across Japan, the discovery of unexploded ordnance from the intense air raids of the war remains a regular occurrence.
The Self-Defense Forces have reported disposing of 2,348 bombs weighing 41 tons during the fiscal year 2023.
