Palomares, Almería facts for kids

Palomares is a small town in Andalusia, Spain. It sits right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. People in Palomares work in farming, fishing, and tourism. The town is about 20 meters (66 feet) above sea level. It is part of the larger area called Cuevas del Almanzora.

The 1966 Plane Crash

Palomares is well-known because of a serious accident that happened in 1966. A B-52 Stratofortress bomber from the United States Air Force crashed. It collided in the air with a KC-135 Stratotanker plane. This mid-air crash caused a big problem for the town.

What Happened During the Crash?

The B-52 bomber was carrying four hydrogen bombs (H-bombs). These are very powerful weapons. When the planes crashed, two of the bombs broke apart. The regular explosives inside them went off. This spread dangerous radioactive material, like plutonium-239, over a large area of the Spanish countryside. Luckily, special safety systems prevented the nuclear parts of the bombs from exploding.

One of the other H-bombs landed safely by parachute in a stream. It was found almost completely intact. The fourth H-bomb fell into the Mediterranean Sea. It took the U.S. Navy three months to find and recover this bomb from the sea. It was also found intact.

Cleaning Up the Area

After the crash, a lot of the contaminated soil from Palomares was removed. It was carefully packed up and shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. This soil was buried in a safe place near Barnwell, South Carolina, in the United States.

Even in 2001, scientists could still find small amounts of radioactive materials. These included plutonium, uranium, and americium. They were found over an area of about 24 acres (9.7 hectares) in Palomares.

Ongoing Safety and Future Plans

Researchers from both America and Spain have been checking the area every year. They have not found any health problems in people. They also haven't found any contaminated food or water from the crash.

However, some areas still have radioactive material. These spots are fenced off to keep people safe. Because of this, the region has not developed as much for tourism as other coastal towns.

In 2015, Spain and the United States agreed to talk about cleaning up the area even more. Eventually, the United States agreed to remove more contaminated soil from Palomares. This soil will also be taken to a safe burial site in the United States.

See also

In Spanish: Palomares para niños