bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

US fighter jets dropped four unarmed bombs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef in an "emergency jettison" during a training exercise, officials said yesterday, ruling out any risk to the public or environment.
The US 7th Fleet said two Harrier aircraft dropped the bombs on the iconic reef's marine park off the Queensland coast on Tuesday.
"The selected emergency jettison area was in a deep channel away from the reef to minimise the possibility of reef damage," the US 7th Fleet said.
"It is approximately 50 to 60 metres deep and does not pose a hazard to shipping or navigation."
An Australian Defence Force spokesman said the bombs posed "minimal risk or threat to the public, the marine environment or civilian shipping transiting the reef area".
He added: "Defence is working closely with the US military, the Australian government and environmental organisations to ensure there is no danger... now or in the future."
Graeme Dunstan, who is among the environmentalists and anti-war activists demonstrating against the joint exercise, said the mishap proved that the US military could not be trusted to protect the environment.
"How can they protect the environment and bomb the reef at the same time? Get real," Dunstan said.
US and Australian officials are seeking to issue an appropriate navigation notice until charts can be updated showing the location of the unexploded ordnance.
The two AV-8B Harrier planes intended to drop the bombs on a range on a nearby island, but several attempts were unsuccessful. About 28,000 Australian and US military are involved in the three-week training exercise Talisman Saber in Queensland.


US jets drop four unarmed bombs on Great Barrier Reef

An AV-8B Harrier - two of the jets dropped bombs. Photo: AP

A section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Reuters

News

World

US fighter jets dropped four unarmed bombs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef in an "emergency jettison" during a training exercise, officials said yesterday, ruling out any risk to the public or environment.
