Fatal Detonation of WWII Explosive in Indonesia Linked to Illicit Fishing
In May, a group of fishers on the Indonesian island of Biak were dismantling an unexploded shell left over from World War II when the device went off, reportedly killing seven people and injuring 19 others. Officials have concluded that the fishers were harvesting materials from the shell for use in blast fishing. Read more on E360 →
Seven individuals tragically lost their lives and nineteen were injured when an unexploded World War II explosive detonated in May on the Indonesian island of Biak. Local fishers, seeking TNT for blast fishing, dismantled the shell, initiating the devastating blast. Biak, situated off the coast of New Guinea, bears the scars of intense WWII battles between Allied forces and Imperial Japan, resulting in a multitude of unexploded munitions scattered across the region.
Sonya Martha Kawer, an archaeologist at Indonesia's National Research Center for Archaeology, explains that while locals attempt to burn forests cautiously to prevent accidental explosions, the desire for TNT for blast fishing persists. The U.S. government's 2004 report reveals that the extraction of TNT from wartime munitions has been employed as a method for reef fish harvesting in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines since the war.
Cliff Marlessy, a director with the Indonesia Locally-Managed Marine Area Network, notes that evidence suggests the trade of explosives in Biak has expanded into a market. Nonetheless, this hazardous practice endangers fishers, as exemplified by the death of Agus Drunyi who perished while attempting to assemble a bomb from salvaged explosives on Papua last year.
Moreover, unexploded bombs can leach hazardous chemicals into the environment. A 2024 study in Royal Society Open Science warns that changing bomb chemistry may render them more volatile over time. Despite risks, blast fishing remains destructive to marine ecosystems. A 2021 Biological Conservation paper highlights that the practice has resulted in the "large-scale destruction of coral reefs in much of Southeast Asia."
The paper underscores that lax enforcement is the driving force behind such destructive practices globally.
Written by urgent.news from Yale Environment 360's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
