The Sunken Graveyard Of Lost Atomic Bombs | Dive Detectives

The Northern Mariana Islands form a remote archipelago 2,500 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, perched on the precipice of the deepest point in the world, the Mariana Trench.

Tinian, one tiny island in this spectacularly beautiful region, played a critical role during World War II. The site of a program known as Project Alberta, Tinian was the top-secret assembly and launch point for the atomic bombs readied for use against the Japanese, two of which, Little Boy and Fat Man, made history when deployed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The trail leads to a massive off-shore dumpsite, a veritable World War II museum beneath the crystal blue waters. The seafloor is scattered with unexploded ordnance and bomb parts that contain phosphorous, forcing the Dive Detectives to take special precautions. Unsuspecting local divers have pulled the coral-like material to the surface, where it can ignite in the air, burning at up to 800 degrees Celsius and causing serious injuries.

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