The Palomares Affair

"Excuse me, did you happen to see an H-bomb around?"

17 January 1966, Spain, (U.S. Air Force) - A B-52 and KC-135 collided during midair refueling and both aircraft crashed near Palomares, Spain. The B-52 was carrying four nuclear weapons. One was recovered on the ground and one was finally found in the sea after an intensive four month search. "Two of the weapons, high explosive materials exploded on impact with the ground, releasing some radioactive materials. Approximately 1,400 tons of slightly contaminated soil and weapons were removed to the United States for storage at an approved site." The Department of Defence has reported that the cleanup operation has cost $50 million and that the Palomares area is still being monitored for radiation today.

The National Times - 15th March 1981.
_________________________

From A Nuclear Family, an eighteen-part series focusing nuclear accidents, warfare, testing and their consequences in nuclear plants and other places in different parts of the globe.

1. Red Alert In Three Mile Island. 2. Chernobyl Sunset. 3. A Night In Goiânia. 4. Pickerings. 5. Tokaimura Sunrise. 6. Chalk River. 7. Lucas Heights. 8. Windscale. 9. Angra. 10. The Palomares Affair. 11. The World Went White. 12. Radio Bikini. 13. Grenoble Night Sky. 14. Holy Loch. 15. A Greifswald Tour. 16. An Idaho Falls Excursion. 17. San Onofre Song. 18. The Nevada Fallout Path.

* * * * *