UXO Causes Temporary Airport Closure

Bari, Italy Authorities at the Palese Airport temporarily closed the runways when a construction crew found an unexploded WWII era U.S. bomb buried near one their runways. EOD was called in to respond and identified the UXO as a WWII era 500-lbs bomb. It is believed that the bomb was a result of allied air raids that occurred between 1942 and 1943. EOD safely removed the bomb and disposed of it through a controlled detonation. The runways were re-opened shortly after the hazard was removed.