Broken Arrows: When Nuclear Weapons Go Wrong
Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More
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The Most Famous Broken Arrow Injuries
The most egregious case of an actual, armed, fully functional nuclear weapon being lost occurred in 1965. The aircraft carrier USS Tycon de Roga was moving a Douglas A4E Skyhawk from a hangar to an elevator when it rolled over the side of the ship. On the plane was a B-43 nuclear bomb with a variable yield from 79 kilotons to 1 megaton. It is believed to be sitting at the bottom of the ocean, 16,000 feet, or 4,900 meters below the surface.
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