Originally published on July 21, 2013
Two U.S. Marine Corp jets were dropped two four bombs into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off the coast of Australia this week when a training exercise went wrong, according to U.S. officials.
The two AV-8B Harriers were meant to drop the ordnances on the Townshend Island bombing range nearby, but controllers reported the area was not clear for hazards. As the jets were low on fuel, the pilots were forced to jettison the one inert BDU 45 and one unarmed GBU 12 each into the ocean. The bombs were dropped more than 16 nautical miles south of Bell Cay to minimize possible damage to the reef.
Officials are still looking into how to recover the bombs, which reportedly dropped into a channel roughly 60 meters deep. Authorities say the chances of any of them exploding is very low. The maneuvers are part of of a biennial joint training exercise that brings together 28,000 U.S. and Australian military personnel.
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