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Nuclear missiles mistakenly flown across US
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by Tom van B | September 5, 2007 at 02:15 pm
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"The cruise missiles were carried across the US by a B-52 bomber. (File photo Getty Images: USAF)"
By North America correspondent Kim LandersPosted 1 hour 45 minutes ago
Updated 1 hour 31 minutes ago
The cruise missiles were carried across the US by a B-52 bomber. (File photo) (Getty Images: USAF)
There has been a major security blunder in the United States involving nuclear weapons.
A B-52 bomber flew across the country after being mistakenly loaded with nuclear warheads.
The nuclear armed cruise missiles were mistakenly loaded onto the B-52 bomber's wings, before its three-hour flight last week from North Dakota to Louisiana.
The nuclear warheads were only discovered when the plane landed and the security lapse was reported to US President George W Bush.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell says an investigation is underway.
"The munitions were part of a routine transfer between the two bases and at all times they were in the custody and control of air force personnel and at no time was the public in danger," he said.
The US air force says the munition squadron commander has been relieved of his duties.
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Tom van B
Masterton, New Zealand, New Zealand
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 02:04 on September 6th, 2007
Tom van B, I like this story. It's good stuff.
This was shocking news tom. How could they play with nukes as if they were toys. The incompetance of this goes beond anything I have seen in the past few years.
at 09:02 on October 20th, 2007
An update from BBC:
"The US Air Force has relieved several officers of their commands after a B-52 bomber was mistakenly flown across the US loaded with nuclear-armed missiles. Three colonels, a lieutenant colonel and 66 other personnel were punished following the incident at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, on 29 August.
Maj Gen Richard Newton said ground crews had failed to follow procedures.
The incident has been described as one of the worst known breaches of nuclear weapons procedures in decades."
More info available via the link above, though the nature of the punishment for those involved was not spelled out.