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In reply to the discussion: US drops bombs on Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [View all]Violet_Crumble
(35,961 posts)That's what these exercises were called before they changed the name to whatever it is now, and they were originally done off the coast of California before they moved them here.
I'm not sure why the bombing ranges are where they are, but these exercises have been going on every two years for a long time and this is the first time something like this has happened, and seeing as how there's no restriction on planes flying over the marine park, it doesn't look as though anyone thought there was a risk of anything falling from the sky. In this case the outcome could have been far worse than two bomb casings full of concrete and two unarmed bombs falling into deep water away from the coral and causing no damage. If the jets hadn't gotten rid of them they could have crashed, either on their own or onto the aircraft carrier they had to land on, and I'm suspecting wreckage and jet fuel would definitely cause major damage to the coral, and that's not even taking into account the lives that would have been put at risk if that had happened...
Anyway, the latest I read was that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority would like the bombs removed and they don't really care who does it. The Americans have already said they'll take care of it if they're asked to, so it looks like everyone's cooperating...
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/great-barrier-reef-marine-park-authority-boss-wants-us-bombs-removed/story-fnihsrf2-1226683360288