Two members of a bomb squad from PeaceTrees Việt Nam check a Mark 82 (MK82) bomb at the Terminal No 2 of Đồng Hới Airport. The team then safety removed the bomb to an UXO store for demolition. — Photo courtesy of PTVN

QUẢNG TRỊ — A bomb squad from PeaceTrees Việt Nam (PTVN) Quảng Bình Project, in co-operation with Quảng Trị Province Military Command, has safety removed a Mark 82 (MK82) bomb at the Terminal No 2 of Đồng Hới Airport.

The team then moved the bomb to a store for demolition one day after it was discovered by workers during construction of the foundation section of the terminal.

The bomb that was left from the Việt Nam War weighed 227kg, and the team spent two hours to recover it from a 5m deep underground.

The removal of the bomb had been completed promptly to avoid interruption to any flights at the airport.

PeaceTrees Việt Nam (PTVN) said it has successfully removed five large bombs since early this year in an effort to clear Quảng Trị of UXO threats.

PTVN, an NGO from the US that has been working on UXO in the central province since 1995, reported that thousands of hectares of landmines and UXO-contaminated land had been cleared and trees were planted on safe land.

It has granted scholarships for UXO survivors, launched support programmes for their families, built schools and libraries for children and families to access education in the province.

The PTVN’s Danaan Parry Landmines Education Centre in Đông Hà has provided landmine awareness courses for local people in the province including children. — VNS