Latest news with #UXOs


The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
WWII-era ordnance weighing over 200kg found near Jasin
JASIN: A suspected World War II-era unexploded ordnance (UXO) weighing approximately 226kg has been discovered at Felda Senggeh in Nyalas here. Jasin OCPD Supt Mohamad Rusli Mat said the bomb was found by a settler at around 1.47pm on Monday (July 14) while he was clearing his plot of land. He said the police weaponry and bomb disposal unit from the district police headquarters was immediately deployed to the scene to inspect the object. "Upon inspection, the device was confirmed to be an old UXO, probably from the World War II period, weighing close to 500 pounds (226kg),' he said on Monday (July 14). Supt Mohamad Rusli added that the bomb will be detonated in a controlled explosion on Tuesday (July 15) in accordance with standard operating procedures. UXOs were remnants of past conflicts and can remain volatile even decades after they were deployed.


Metro
25-06-2025
- Metro
Fears fisherman has walked off with five hand grenades
A fisherman believed to have walked off with five unexploded hand grenades is being urged to hand them in urgently. The 'volatile' weapons were discovered near a canal in Hopwood, Birmingham. Two of the grenades were safely detonated, but a man in his 50s with grey hair is thought to have left with the rest of them. The man, who was wearing green trousers, is thought to have found the weaponry which witnesses say he found while magnet fishing. Members of the public have been warned to keep their distance if they spot the bombs and call 999 immediately. Pictures of the two recovered grenades show how the weapons can easily be concealed and go unnoticed if discarded in undergrowth. The grenades were discovered at around 6pm on Friday June 20. A search to locate the remaining unexploded ordnances continued into Saturday June 21. Inspector Richard Field said: 'I can reassure that person they're not in any trouble with police. 'My primary objective is to recover the hand grenades and to make them safe.' A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: 'We continue to urge the man that found the grenades to contact us so that they can be safely recovered. 'He may not be aware of the significant safety risk they pose.' Thousands of unexploded ordnances or UXOs are discovered every year, including washed up on beaches, in gardens, on construction sites and in bodies of water. Weapons contain compounds that become more sensitive as they age, according to risk mitigation company 1st Line Defence. They also pose environmental risks if left untouched for a significant length of time, such as ground contamination. Members of the public who encounter UXOs should not touch or disturb them but call police. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Gang of girls' attack elderly woman in park leaving her 'bleeding from the head' MORE: 'Elite' US fast food chain to open new sites as part of major UK expansion MORE: 'Eyesore' home swallowed by trees for 40 years finally cleared
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New US sonar tech to hunt hidden WWII-era bombs buried at 400+ underwater sites
More than 400 underwater sites across the U.S. may be contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO)—decades-old bombs and munitions that failed to detonate and now pose serious safety risks, especially in shallow waters now transitioning to public use. Connor Hodges, a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin, is working on advancing underwater detection by studying how UXOs degrade over time and how those changes affect their acoustic signatures. 'Many of these sites are in shallow water, potentially posing a threat to human safety, and date back several decades,' said Hodges. 'This long exposure to the environment leads to corrosion as well as encrustation in the form of barnacles or algal growth.' UXOs may remain dormant for decades, but if disturbed—stepped on, struck, or moved—they could still detonate. Traditional sonar systems rely on recognizing shapes and materials underwater. But as corroded bombs lose their distinct appearance, they begin to blend into the seabed. The acoustic signals they return weaken or shift, increasing the chance of false negatives during surveys. To better understand how aged UXOs behave acoustically, Hodges and his team examined a series of AN-Mk 23 practice bombs—small-scale training bombs used during WWII. These particular munitions had been submerged in a brackish pond on Martha's Vineyard for over 80 years. The researchers compared the sonar response of these corroded, biofouled bombs with that of pristine ones. They measured how sound waves scattered off the bombs from various angles and directions, discovering that degradation significantly changes the object's acoustic resonance and returns a much weaker signal. 'Acoustic scattering techniques give an insight into the internal structure of the object imaged, as well as a method to 'see' into the seafloor,' said Hodges. As military sites are repurposed for civilian use, understanding how old munitions interact with sonar becomes increasingly vital. Hodges emphasizes the importance of UXO detection in environmental remediation and public safety: 'There is a risk of detonation if they are stepped on or otherwise disturbed,' he added. 'This poses a larger risk to human safety in shallow waters, and UXO identification and recovery becomes vital as old sites are transitioned away from military use.' Hodges plans to expand his work to include other types of munitions and explore different corrosion and encrustation scenarios. His research may ultimately contribute to more reliable models for sonar-based UXO detection—critical tools for military, environmental, and humanitarian operations. 'Underwater UXO can be tricky to find and recover, so it is important that this can be done safely and effectively,' said Hodges. 'We hope this work will ultimately help save lives.' Hodges will discuss this research on Monday, May 19, at 8 am CT as part of the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics.


Daily Tribune
05-04-2025
- General
- Daily Tribune
Cambodia's sniffer rat earns world record
A landmine-hunting rat in Cambodia has set a new world record by sniffing out more than 100 mines and pieces of unexploded ordnance, a charity said yesterday. Ronin, agiant African pouched rat, has tracked down 109 landmines and 15 other potentially deadly war remnants since his deployment to northern Preah Vihear province in August 2021, the Belgian charity APOPO said in a statement. Five-year-old Ronin has been named the most successful Mine Detection Rat (MDR) in the organisation's history. Ronin beat the previous record, held by hero rodent Magawa who found 71 landmines and 38 UXOs during his five-year service before retirement in 2021. Magawa, who was awarded a gold medal for heroism for clearing mines from about 225,000 square metres of land -- the equivalent of 42 football pitches -- died in 2022. Ronin may have two years or more of detection work ahead of him, APOPO said.


Sharjah 24
04-04-2025
- General
- Sharjah 24
Rat earns world record for sniffing landmines in Cambodia
Ronin, a giant African pouched rat, has successfully tracked down 109 landmines and 15 other potentially deadly remnants of war since his deployment to northern Preah Vihear province in August 2021, according to the Belgian charity APOPO. Record-breaking achievements At just five years old, Ronin has become the most successful Mine Detection Rat (MDR) in APOPO's history. His remarkable achievements earned him the Guinness World Records title for the most landmines detected by a rat, emphasizing the vital role of HeroRats in humanitarian demining efforts. Previous record holder Ronin surpassed the previous record held by Magawa, another hero rat, who discovered 71 landmines and 38 unexploded ordnance (UXOs) during his five-year service before retiring in 2021. Magawa was awarded a gold medal for heroism after clearing mines from approximately 225,000 square meters of land. Ongoing mission APOPO noted that Ronin may have two more years of detection work ahead of him. His handler, Phanny, expressed that Ronin is not just an asset but a valued partner and colleague. The humanitarian crisis in Cambodia Cambodia continues to be heavily affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance from decades of conflict dating back to the 1960s. Since the end of a civil war in 1998, the country has struggled with one of the highest rates of landmine casualties globally, with around 20,000 deaths recorded since 1979. Recent tragedies Tragically, two Cambodian toddlers were killed in February when a rocket-propelled grenade, believed to have been buried since the civil war, exploded near their homes in northwestern Siem Reap province. Challenges ahead Although Cambodia aimed to be mine-free by 2025, the government has postponed this goal by five years due to funding challenges and the discovery of new landmine fields along the Thai border.