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WWII bomb found near Frankfurt airport

BERLIN (AP) — A World War II bomb found Tuesday next to a highway near Frankfurt airport was disposed of in a controlled explosion, causing some disruption to flight operations.

A stretch of the A3 highway near Offenbach, outside Frankfurt, was closed Tuesday after the 500-kilogram British bomb was found.

Police shut off a 1,000-meter (1094-yard) area around the site. They destroyed the bomb in a controlled explosion after deciding that it wasn’t possible to defuse the device, news agency dpa reported.

One airport runway was closed for landings because planes weren’t allowed to fly directly over the site. Plans called for landings to be suspended altogether for a time.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much disruption was caused, though the airport arrivals board showed several delayed flights.

Allied airplanes dropped millions of tons of ordnance on Germany during World War II. Unexploded bombs are still found frequently.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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