A 250kg World War II-era aerial bomb found at a construction site near Changi Airport has been safely disposed of following a carefully coordinated overnight operation with the help of multiple Singapore agencies, with officials confirming there was no impact on airport operations. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) found during work on Tanah Merah Coast Road within the Changi East Development Area was assessed by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as too unstable to be moved, requiring controlled on-site detonation instead.
Discovery, evaluation and risk
According to the Singapore Police Force, officers were first alerted to the war remains at 4.55am on March 31 during construction work. The SAF’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team later identified it as a 250 kg World War II aerial bomb, possibly a Type 3 “skipping bomb”, which was historically used to attack sea targets such as ships. Given its condition, the SAF determined that the equipment was unsafe to transport. The disposal window was scheduled for between 2.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. on 2 April, with detonation finally occurring at around 2.23 a.m.
The bomb was safely detonated at a construction site along the two runways at Singapore’s Changi Airport./Photo: Singapore Police Force
Authorities had previously warned the public to expect loud noises during the operation, which was confined entirely within the construction site. The disposal site, served by two runways at Changi Airport (including Runway 2), is located near Changi Jurassic Mile and Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines Course, within the Changi East development area earmarked for Singapore’s largest aviation expansion to date, Terminal 5.
How was the bomb defused
In a detailed statement, the Ministry of Defense (Singapore) said personnel from its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defense Group conducted extensive protective operations around the bomb. These include “compacted sandbag overhead covers and reinforced concrete barriers” designed to contain both blast pressure and fragmentation.
Authorities detonated the bomb safely, using compacted sandbags and reinforced concrete barriers to prevent explosion and fragmentation / Image: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF)
“The ordnance was destroyed through a controlled detonation later in the morning, minimizing disruption to the public and airport operations,” MINDEF said. The agency said that “security perimeters were established and protective measures were implemented to protect personnel, infrastructure and the public.” Visuals from the scene showed a bright flash followed by a loud explosion seconds later and a plume of smoke billowing over the site.
A bright flash was seen at the site, followed by a massive explosion and a plume of smoke/ Image: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF), Asiaone
coordination between agencies
The operation involved close coordination between multiple bodies, including the SAF, the Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the police and Changi Airport Group. Lieutenant Colonel Tai Jun Jie, commanding officer of the 36th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers, emphasized the operational approach, saying: “We maintain a high level of operational readiness and are committed to protecting the security of Singapore. For such incidents, we respond rapidly, plan thoroughly and work closely with partner agencies to effectively mitigate risks and safely execute operations.” From a technical perspective, DSTA senior principal engineer Ng Chor Boon explained how modeling shaped the response: “We applied advanced numerical modeling techniques to determine the effects of blast leakage of the fortified structure on the surrounding areas… This helped us calculate protection zones, allowing SAF commanders and planners to better balance operations and minimize risks to the surrounding areas.”
No disruption to flights or infrastructure
Despite the scale of the operation, airport activity continued largely uninterrupted. In response to questions from outlets including CNA and The Straits TimesCAG confirmed that the disposal was completed “successfully this morning” and that “the infrastructure and systems around the site were examined, and no problems were observed.” As a precaution, Runway 2 was temporarily closed, but flights continued via Runway 1. Vincent Hawa, director of air traffic services at CAAS, said: “Since the flight paths did not pass through the disposal site, no airspace restrictions were imposed. There was no impact on flight operations.” At that time, there were 10 inbound and 18 outbound flights scheduled during the settlement window.
One of the largest found in Singapore
Singapore’s Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing later said in a Facebook post that the bomb was “one of the largest bombs ever discovered in Singapore”, thanking all agencies involved for ensuring minimal disruption to the operation. The discovery of unexploded ordnance is not uncommon in Singapore due to its wartime history, although they are not always controlled on site. A 100 kg bomb found in Upper Bukit Timah in 2023 required evacuation and caused structural damage to nearby houses, while a 227 kg bomb found in Pulau Cenang in 2016 was disposed of. However, this time, the combination of precise engineering, inter-agency coordination and controlled execution ensured a high-risk operation without incident in one of the busiest and most sensitive locations in the country.