A 250kg World War II-era aerial bomb discovered at a construction site near Singapore’s Changi Airport has been safely disposed of following a carefully planned overnight operation involving several government agencies. Authorities said the controlled detonation caused no disruption to airport operations.
The unexploded ordnance (UXO) was discovered during construction work along Tanah Merah Coast Road in the Changi East development zone. After assessing the device, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) determined that its condition made it too dangerous to move, leading authorities to opt for a controlled detonation at the site.
Bomb discovered during construction work
The Singapore Police Force said officers were alerted to the discovery at around 4.55am on March 31. The SAF’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team subsequently identified the object as a 250kg World War II aerial bomb, believed to be a Type 3 “skipping bomb” historically used against maritime targets, including ships.
Because of the bomb’s unstable condition, experts concluded that transporting it would pose an unacceptable risk. Authorities therefore scheduled an overnight disposal operation between 2.30am and 4.30am on April 2, with the detonation ultimately taking place at around 2.23am.
Residents and members of the public had been warned to expect loud noises during the operation. The entire disposal was carried out within the construction site.
The location was particularly sensitive as it lies between two runways at Changi Airport, including Runway 2. It is also close to Changi Jurassic Mile and the Tampines Course of Tanah Merah Country Club. The area forms part of the Changi East development zone, which is being earmarked for Terminal 5, Singapore’s largest planned aviation expansion.
Engineers build protective structure around bomb
The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said personnel from its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives Defence Group constructed extensive protective measures around the device before it was detonated.
These included “compacted sandbag overhead cover and reinforced concrete barriers”, designed to contain the blast and prevent dangerous fragments from spreading beyond the disposal site.
“The ordnance was subsequently disposed of through a controlled detonation in the early morning, minimising disruption to the public and airport operations,” MINDEF said.
Safety cordons were also established and additional protective measures put in place to protect personnel, infrastructure and members of the public.
Witnesses described seeing a bright flash followed seconds later by a loud explosion, with smoke rising above the site.
Multiple agencies involved in operation
The high-risk disposal operation required coordination between several agencies, including the SAF, Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Singapore Police Force and Changi Airport Group (CAG).
Lieutenant Colonel Tay Jun Jie, commanding officer of the 36th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers, said the operation reflected the country’s approach to managing potentially dangerous incidents.
“We maintain a high level of operational readiness and remain committed to safeguarding Singapore’s security. For such incidents, we respond swiftly, plan thoroughly and work closely with partner agencies to mitigate risks effectively and execute operations safely,” he said.
DSTA senior principal engineer Ng Chor Boon explained that advanced computer modelling was used to assess the likely effects of the explosion.
“We applied advanced numerical modelling techniques to determine the effects of the fortified structure’s blast leakages on the surroundings,” he said, adding that the calculations helped determine appropriate safety zones and allowed commanders and planners to balance operational requirements with risks to surrounding areas.
Airport operations continue despite controlled blast
Despite the size of the bomb and the sensitive location, airport operations continued largely as normal.
Changi Airport Group said the disposal was completed successfully and that infrastructure and systems in the surrounding area were inspected afterwards, with no problems detected.
As a precautionary measure, Runway 2 was temporarily closed during the operation. Flights, however, continued using Runway 1.
Vincent Hwa, director of air traffic services at CAAS, said there was no need to impose airspace restrictions because flight paths did not pass over the disposal site.
“There was no impact to flight operations,” he said.
At the time of the operation, 10 inbound and 18 outbound flights had been scheduled during the disposal window.
One of Singapore’s largest wartime bombs
Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing later described the device as “one of the largest ever discovered in Singapore” and thanked the agencies involved for ensuring that the disposal caused minimal disruption.
The discovery of unexploded wartime ordnance is not unusual in Singapore, given the city-state’s history during World War II. However, the method used to dispose of such devices can vary depending on their condition and location.
In 2023, a 100kg bomb discovered in Upper Bukit Timah led to evacuations and caused damage to nearby homes. A 227kg wartime bomb found in 2016 was safely disposed of on Pulau Senang.
In the latest incident, careful engineering, detailed blast modelling and close coordination between multiple agencies allowed authorities to neutralise a potentially dangerous 250kg bomb near one of the world’s busiest airports without casualties or significant disruption.
The operation also offered a striking reminder that remnants of Singapore’s wartime past can still emerge decades later — sometimes in the middle of major modern infrastructure projects.
