WWII bomb found at Changi Airport worksite successfully disposed of; airport operations not affected
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SINGAPORE – A World War II bomb that was discovered at a construction site within the premises of Changi Airport was successfully disposed of by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the early hours of April 2.
Airport operations were not affected, said Changi Airport Group (CAG) in response to queries.
It added that infrastructure and systems in the vicinity were checked and no issues were observed.
The disposal was carried out by the SAF’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives Defence Group.
The Ministry of Defence, in a statement on April 2, said a compacted sandbag overhead cover and reinforced concrete barriers were constructed around the relic to contain the blast and fragmentation effects.
The SAF members worked with the police, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and CAG throughout the operation.
“Safety cordons were established and protective measures implemented to safeguard personnel, infrastructure and the public,” said MINDEF.
In a Facebook post on the afternoon of April 2, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing thanked all involved for their work and coordination efforts.
He said the disposal was carried out successfully with minimal disruption to the public and airport operations.
The bomb was one of the largest ever discovered in Singapore, Mr Chan added.
In a statement on April 1, the police said they were informed at 4.55am on March 31 about the war relic, discovered during construction work in Tanah Merah Coast Road.
The SAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal team assessed the war relic to be a 250kg World War II aerial bomb.
The team also assessed the relic to be unsafe to move, and it was decided it would instead carry out an on-site controlled disposal on April 2 between 2.30am and 4.30am.
The disposal would be contained within the construction site, said the police, adding that areas accessible to the public would not be affected.
In a map provided by the police, the disposal site is flanked by two runways, and is near the Changi Jurassic Mile and Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines Course, according to The Straits Times’ checks against online maps.
The area appears to be part of the future Terminal 5, ST checks against CAG’s map on the Changi East development show. The terminal is part of the development, the airport’s largest expansion to date.
The war relic was discovered during construction work in Tanah Merah Coast Road.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
There were 10 inbound and 18 outbound flights scheduled at Changi Airport between 2.30am and 4.30am on April 2, according to ST’s checks on the airport’s flight information site at 9pm on April 1.
The police had advised the public not to be alarmed by the loud sounds that could be expected during the process.
The police said they worked closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, CAG, SAF and Singapore Civil Defence Force to ensure that the controlled disposal of the relic was carried out safely.
Those with inquiries may contact Changi Neighbourhood Police Centre on 1800-587-2999.
In 2023, the discovery of a 100kg World War II aerial bomb at a construction site in Upper Bukit Timah Road led to the evacuation of residents in parts of Bukit Panjang and Upper Bukit Timah.
The bomb’s disposal resulted in cracked ceilings and shattered glass in nearby homes.
Unexploded ordnance is not always disposed of on-site.
In 2016, a 227kg unexploded aerial bomb was disposed of by the army on Pulau Senang.
