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EODs destroy Japanese mine from WWII

KOLONIA, Federated States of Micronesia — Navy explosives experts have blown up a World War II-era mine found in this western Pacific island nation.

The Japanese mine had become unmoored and was resting in 110 feet of water on the floor of the main harbor channel of the island of Yap, Lt. Donnell Evans said from Guam.

Members of the Guam-based Explosives Ordnance Disposal Detachment Marianas used explosives to detonate the mine Tuesday and returned Wednesday to conduct a site assessment, Evans said.

Team members were also assisting local police in identifying and destroying other ordnance left over from World War II, he said.

The mission was nothing new for the EOD techs, Evans said.

“This same team operates roughly about 100 times a year doing this same mission on Guam,” he said. “They routinely get calls from the local authorities, probably on average twice a week, to go out to local communities and disable or unearth World War II explosives. So they’re very skilled at doing this, because they get a lot of practice.”

The U.S. Embassy in Kolonia warned American citizens Monday to exercise caution when traveling or diving in the region.

Located about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, the Federated States of Micronesia consists of 607 islands with a population of about 107,000.

Japan began administrating the islands under a League of Nations mandate in 1920. That ended with World War II, and Micronesia became part of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. It attained independence under a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. in 1986.