TWO World War II bombs have been destroyed by the New Zealand Defence Force at an airstrip and school on Bougainville.
The unexploded bombs at Aropa Airfield and Koeta Primary School posed a danger to the local population, and the Autonomous Bougainville Government asked for New Zealand’s support to dispose of them.
Specialist troops were deployed to Bougainville on a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules and then on to Aropa Airfield by an NH90 helicopter from No.3 Squadron.
The helicopter and crew were already in PNG delivering aid to areas hit by Tropical Cyclone Maila.
Earlier reconnaissance found the bombs were too dangerous to move and had to be destroyed in-place. Sandbags were placed around the sites, and large cordons were set up before the disposal.
