Operation Render Safe Nets 400 UXO in First Week

Solomon Islands Royal New Zealand Navy EOD divers from the HMNZS Mamawanui, a diving support vessel working jointly with a Canadian Defence Force EOD unit, are recovering WWII era UXO from the Solomon Islands. The clearance, dubbed Operation Render Safe 2016, is a 3-week (Sept. 15 to Oct. 7) training mission for EOD personnel with the end result directly benefiting the local communities.

Over the past week, the EOD teams have been working in the Russell Island group, which lies north-west of Guadalcanal, where they recovered over 400 UXO including underwater UXO.

The area where work is underway is a former WWII-era US Army Air Corps airstrip and ammunition base, which was used to support the campaign against Japan.