Capt. Rudeinn Sablan of the Commonwealth Port Authority port police said the advice to temporarily suspend the flight was aimed at ensuring the safety of passengers.
The detonation operation was conducted at the Tinian quarry pit, about three miles away from the airport, he said.
Sablan said the unexploded ordnance was collected by members of the community from different parts of the island.
“There were areas that are suspected to have unexploded bombs left by Japanese and American forces during the World War II,” he said.
The munitions retrieved by residents were turned over to the Emergency Management Office and to the mayor’s office for proper accounting and inventory.
Once they collected a sufficient quantity of ordnance, Sablan said they immediately informed the bomb disposal team of the U.S. Navy and the Department of Public Safety on Saipan.
Jeff Black of the U.S. Navy who conducted a detonation operation on Saipan also led the team that detonated the ordnance found on Tinian.
Sablan said the retrieval of unexploded U.S. and Japanese bombs, projectiles, hand grenades, mortar rounds and other pieces of ordnance will continue on Tinian
