Explosive Clearance Group BV (ECG) found an aerial bomb dating back to the Second World War at Twente Airport on Tuesday morning. The bomb was detonated later that day by the Explosives Clearing Service (EOD). This happened at just before six o'clock in the afternoon. The explosive, a so-called 500-pounder of British manufacture with a chemical detonator, was located at a distance of about fifty metres from the runway of the airport.

The localisation and controlled detonation of explosives from the Second World War on the site of the former airbase has been going on for seven years. In 2010, when the site became the property of the municipality of Enschede and the province of Overijssel, it was agreed with the Ministry of Defence that the entire area would be inventoried for any war explosives still present and that they would be rendered harmless.

Spokeswoman Joukje Hijlkema of area developer Area Development Twente (ADT) expects that the EOD will still be busy 'for some time' locating and clearing the explosives. The area around the runway was cordoned off by the Royal Netherlands Military Constabulary before the British 500-pounder exploded. Local residents were informed after the discovery of the bomb.

Source: Dagblad Tubantia (dd. 26-09-2017)
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