On June 9, local Japanese authorities confirmed that four Japanese soldiers were injured in an explosion at a storage facility on a US military base in Okinawa, where unexploded wartime ordnance discovered across Okinawa island is kept.
According to recent reports, the servicemen, who specialize in working with explosives, sustained non-life-threatening injuries while working at the site. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are investigating the explosion to determine more information about the incident, such as the cause and the exact location.
Indeed, handling bombs and explosive devices always poses a significant risk to workers. Given that there are still many unexploded WWII bombs being uncovered, as well as the fact that bombs are being used in modern-day wars and conflicts, bomb disposal remains an essential profession.
But what do we know about bomb disposal, really? Many consider it one of the most hazardous jobs in the world, with safety never guaranteed. In fact, it's a profession that could get you killed. Yet the role of a bomb disposal expert is an essential one, the aim being to render an explosive ordnance device inert without causing it to detonate.
Bomb disposal dates back to the 19th century, but was only formalized at the outbreak of the First World War. And while today methods and techniques of making safe a bomb disposal are highly sophisticated, so too are the munitions designed to end lives. So, just how dangerous is explosive ordnance disposal, and what does it take to defuse a potential disaster?
Click through this gallery and learn more about this unique and perilous occupation.