Explosive ordnance disposal experts have located more than 11 tons of World War II-era munitions in the northernmost atoll of Tuvalu.
The underwater ordnance was discovered scattered across a 12km lagoon in Nanumea, a small island community of 500 inhabitants that previously hosted a US airbase during the war.
Led by the Australian Defense Force alongside EOD personnel from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, the technical reconnaissance took place between July 2 and July 9 as part of the ongoing Operation Render Safe. Working from the Royal Australian Navy minehunter HMAS Diamantina and support vessel ADV Reliant, clearance divers spent over 140 hours underwater, swimming 100km of seabed at depths down to 25m while using handheld sonar.
The survey uncovered nearly fifty 500-pound bombs, numerous 100-pound aerial bombs and extensive caches of .50-caliber small-arms ammunition.
Following the assessment, the ADF is expected to return for a dedicated disposal operation pending approval from the Tuvaluan government.
Describing the difficult identification process, Clearance Diver Leading Seaman Brad Fox noted:
“The 500-pound bombs looked like large cylinders. Some of them had extensive marine growth on them, so we really needed to take our time to determine whether it was just a rock or actually a bomb.”
Addressing the longstanding local safety and environmental concerns, Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo said:
“The war moved on, but it left behind reminders that still rest beneath our waters and within our lagoons. They remain hidden beneath the waters that sustain our communities and pose a risk to our people, our marine environment and our future development.”
