Anger as bombs dropped on Great Barrier Reef

Two American fighter jets dropped four unarmed bombs into Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park last week when a training exercise went wrong, the US Navy said, angering environmentalists.

The two AV-8B Harrier jets launched from aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard each jettisoned an inert practice bomb and an unarmed laser-guided explosive bomb into the World Heritage-listed marine park off the coast of Queensland state last Tuesday, the US 7th Fleet said.

The four bombs, weighing a total of 1.8 tons (4,000 lb), were dropped into more than 50 metres (164ft) of water, away from coral to minimise possible damage to the reef, the statement said. None exploded.