Crew finds land mine beneath Fuji Beach
Star-Bulletin staff
KAPAA, Kauai » An old, unexploded land mine was unearthed on a beach Tuesday during a construction project.
The M-6 land mine, which was found buried in the sand more than a foot deep at Lihi Park, was more than 10 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick.
It was exploded by the U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team yesterday at Fuji Beach, about 200 yards from where it was found, county officials said.
Police had no idea how long the land mine was in the ground or its source, but, judging by the heavy soil buildup, it was old, said county public information officer Mary Daubert.
She added that another mine had been found in the area several years ago.
Construction workers from Akahi Services Inc., working on the Anahola-to-Lihue bike path, unearthed the mine when they were digging a trench for an irrigation system.
The crew notified supervisors and authorities, county officials said. Police responded and blocked the area off and remained at the scene overnight until the arrival of the ordnance disposal team from Oahu.
Because of the age of the device and its likely military origin, police are not investigating the incident, Daubert added.