US Air Force Admits To Bombing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef By Accident

This is why we can’t have nice things.

You didn’t misread the headline. You didn’t misread the calendar. You aren’t dreaming: the United States Air Force bombed our national treasure, the Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, after a training exercise went wrong.

What the fuck, Air Force?

US officials are today saying that the bombs were dropped from two US AV-8B Harrier aircraft that were running low on fuel. Reports are emerging that the aircraft couldn’t land with the bombs on board based on the amount of fuel they had left. So what did the two pilots do? They bombed the Barrier Reef.

The bombs were meant to be dropped onto Townshed Island as part of a training exercise, but officials reported the mission went awry when the drop zone was declared to be unclear.

Four bombs were dropped into deep waters on the Barrier Reef, but they reportedly haven’t exploded. There’s no word whether the Reef sustained any damage.

US Officials are probably saying that last part like there’s no big deal, but how about we bomb your national-goddamn-treasures and see how you like it, ‘Murica? Jesus. [Sky News]

Image: Wikimedia Commons


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