Hill AFB plans to destroy jettisoned bomb

HILL AIR FORCE BASE (AP) — Officials at Utah's Hill Air Force Base say they will destroy a bomb that was jettisoned by an F-16 pilot making an emergency landing.

The base says the bomb is buried about 17 feet underground. Col. Patrick Higby says the safest option is to destroy the munition in place using shaped charges to safely direct the explosion.

The base is about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City. Explosions will start on Saturday morning.

On Thursday, a pilot had trouble after taking off from the base and had to drop two fuel tanks and two unarmed bombs in order to land safely.

One of the bombs unexpectedly exploded on impact, flattening a tin shack in an uninhabited part of the base and causing a power outage. There were no injuries.