[xtypo_dropcap]A[/xtypo_dropcap] 1,000-pound World War II bomb killed three people and injured six in Goettingen, Germany, on Tuesday.
The bomb was unearthed during construction of a sports stadium, and exploded an hour before it was to be defused, killing the three experienced bomb technicians on-site, BBC reported. More than 7,000 people were evacuated after the bomb was discovered.
Bombs like the one that detonated in Germany this week are known as “unexploded ordnances” (UXOs), which are explosive weapons that have been dropped or launched but failed to detonate or were left behind. Many UXOs are left behind during military training.
The likelihood of UXOs detonating is highly unpredictable, as some explode after being moved, while others do not, according to a report by Landmine Action. How sensitive they are depends on several factors, including the UXO’s fusing mechanisms, the amount of corrosion, and the method of arming.
A large amount of ammunition used in wars like World War I and World War II failed to operate, leading to high levels of UXO contamination in areas of Europe and the Asia Pacific Rim, Margaret Busé said in a report submitted to the Journal of Mine Action.
Specialists estimate 30 percent of ammunitions used in WWI and WWII failed to explode, according to Busé. WWII belligerent nations like the United Kingdom and Germany are littered with malfunctioned bombs.
