22 July 2013

US drops unarmed bombs in Great Barrier Reef

Two US fighter jets dropped four unarmed bombs in the Australian Great Barrier Reef Marine Park during a training exercise when civilian boats entered the drop zone, according to a US Navy statement. The Marine Park is a World Heritage Site containing the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem.

US authorities stated that the Navy was reviewing the possibility of retrieving the ordnances in consultation with Australia, but stated that the bombs only posed a low risk to the marine environment. Australians and environmentalists were reported as describing the dumping of bombs in an environmentally sensitive area as an outrageous act that should not be allowed.

Source: Al Jazeera | Outrage over US bomb drop on Barrier Reef
Source: Sky News | Barrier Reef: US Navy May Retrieve Bombs