US may salvage 4 bombs from Barrier Reef
Source: Agencies |
July 23, 2013, Tuesday
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THE US Navy said yesterday it is considering salvaging four unarmed bombs dropped by US fighter jets into Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park when a training exercise went wrong.
The two AV-8B Harrier jets launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard during joint exercises with the Australian military each jettisoned an inert, concrete-filled practice bomb and an unarmed laser-guided explosive bomb into the World Heritage-listed marine park off the coast of Queensland state last Tuesday. None exploded.
The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest network of coral structures, is rich in marine life and stretches over 3,000 kilometers along Australia's northeast coast.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, manager of the protected marine zone, said that finding options for "rapid recovery" of the bombs is a priority. But it also said the ordnance posed a "low risk to the marine environment."
"Based on where the ordnance have been dropped in a location that is in water around 50 meters deep, about 30 kilometers from the nearest reef and 50 kilometers from the shoreline, the immediate impact on the marine environment is thought to be negligible," the park authority said.
US 7th Fleet spokesman Lieutenant David Levy said yesterday the Navy was reviewing the possibility of retrieving the ordnance in consultation with Australian authorities.
"If the park service and the government agencies of Australia determine that they want those recovered, then we will coordinate with them on that recovery process," Levy said.
Australian Senator Larissa Waters, a Greens party's spokeswoman, called the dumping of the bombs as "outrageous."
The two AV-8B Harrier jets launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard during joint exercises with the Australian military each jettisoned an inert, concrete-filled practice bomb and an unarmed laser-guided explosive bomb into the World Heritage-listed marine park off the coast of Queensland state last Tuesday. None exploded.
The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest network of coral structures, is rich in marine life and stretches over 3,000 kilometers along Australia's northeast coast.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, manager of the protected marine zone, said that finding options for "rapid recovery" of the bombs is a priority. But it also said the ordnance posed a "low risk to the marine environment."
"Based on where the ordnance have been dropped in a location that is in water around 50 meters deep, about 30 kilometers from the nearest reef and 50 kilometers from the shoreline, the immediate impact on the marine environment is thought to be negligible," the park authority said.
US 7th Fleet spokesman Lieutenant David Levy said yesterday the Navy was reviewing the possibility of retrieving the ordnance in consultation with Australian authorities.
"If the park service and the government agencies of Australia determine that they want those recovered, then we will coordinate with them on that recovery process," Levy said.
Australian Senator Larissa Waters, a Greens party's spokeswoman, called the dumping of the bombs as "outrageous."
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