During the Vietnam War, Laos became the most heavily bombed country per capita in the world. To this day there are millions of cluster-bomb sub-munitions littered across its landscape.
Each sub-munition, such as the BLU-26 “bombie” used in Laos, is capable of penetrating soil or sediment before detonating—yet a significant percentage fail to explode on impact, becoming unexploded ordnance (UXO) hazards.
Villagers—often farmers and children—continue to be injured or killed by unsuspected bomblets. Contaminated land reduces arable acreage, forcing families to abandon traditional farming and hampering national food security. Clearing one schoolyard in Sivilay Village required specialized survey and detonation teams before students could play safely.
Today, every UXO survey and clearance operation in Laos is a step toward reclaiming land, restoring livelihoods, and preventing further tragedy beneath the surface. Watch as a BLU-26 Cluster Bomblet is safely detonated by an EOD team in Laos, Southeast Asia.
Learn more about the beginnings of Aqua Survey’s involvement in Laos.
