Unexploded WWII bomb to be detonated as London City Airport plans to reopen
Written by News on 13/02/2018
Experts are working through the night to dispose of an unexploded Second World War bomb which forced the closure of London City Airport.
Bomb disposal teams are using a flotation device to guide the 500kg weapon along the River Thames, before attaching explosives for a controlled explosion on Tuesday morning.
The German bomb was found grounded in the seabed at King George V Dock in east London on Sunday but it has now been moved to another location within the dock.
London City Airport will reopen on Tuesday after dozens of flights were disrupted following the bomb’s discovery.
Evacuated residents have also been allowed to return to their homes.
Lieutenant commander Jonny Campbell, who is charge of the diving unit which is disposing of the ordnance, said the bomb will be exploded underwater and is unlikely to detonate before it is neutralised by his team.
He said: “We assess that we’ve got good control, that the bomb is in relatively good condition.
“We want to take it away and remove it, but we want to make sure it’s done properly.”
Robert Sinclair, chief executive of London City Airport, said: “I recognise this has caused inconvenience for our passengers, and in particular some of our local residents.
“The airport is co-operating fully with the Met Police, Royal Navy and London Borough of Newham to safely remove the device and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
The German Luftwaffe dropped around 25,000 tonnes of bombs on east London’s Royal Docks during the Blitz, according to the Royal Docks Management Authority.
(c) Sky News 2018: Unexploded WWII bomb to be detonated as London City Airport plans to reopen
