Undefined Explosive Device (UED) event in Phnom Penh, In front of the Royal Palace area, Cambodia on Fri 6th May 2022

The explosive device, more than half a century old, was found during dredging work at the junction of a river with the Mekong, in the centre of Phnom Penh. An American-made bomb containing an explosive charge of more than 500 kilograms and dating from the Vietnam War era was removed from the water on Thursday in front of the Cambodian Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, at the junction of a river, the Tonle Sap, with the Mekong, a demining official announced. The AN-M66 device was discovered during dredging and cleaning work at the site, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre said. "If this bomb had exploded, it could have caused enormous damage to hotels, houses or even the Royal Palace. Cambodia was very lucky," said Heng Ratana, director general of the centre, on Facebook. The bomb was taken out of Phnom Penh to be defused, he added.