2nd October 2024 – (Tokyo) Miyazaki Airport in Japan experienced a sudden collapse of its taxiway on Wednesday morning, leading to suspicions of an explosion. In response, the Japan Self-Defence Forces’ bomb disposal unit was dispatched to investigate the scene. The airport has since closed the runway, which is expected to remain shut for the entire day, affecting all flight operations. At least 41 flights have been cancelled; fortunately, no injuries or damage to other facilities have been reported.
The Miyazaki airport office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism confirmed that a section of the S6 taxiway, connected to the main runway, had collapsed. The affected area measures approximately 7 metres in length, 4 metres in width, and reaches a depth of about 1 metre. Authorities promptly alerted police and fire services, closing the runway before 8am local time. Upon arrival, police instructed airport personnel to evacuate to a nearby safe location.
Closed-circuit television footage suggested that an explosion may have preceded the collapse, with black smoke rising from the site. Witnesses reported hearing explosion-like sounds, while the area displayed significant surface irregularities and scattered asphalt debris, indicating a possible blast. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Historically, the vicinity of Miyazaki Airport has seen multiple discoveries of unexploded bombs dropped by U.S. forces during World War II. Notably, in June and November of 2011, two unexploded ordnance items, weighing 1,000 kilograms and 250 kilograms respectively, were found on the airport premises, prompting temporary closures.
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