Oops! Sorry Mate!

A US Marine Corps fighter jet dropped a bomb that damaged a building in an accident at a remote military range in northern Australia, the government said Friday.

An F/A-18 Hornet dropped the 500 pound laser-guided bomb that exploded near a control tower and damaged facilities at the Delamere Air Weapons Range in the Northern Territory on Wednesday, according to Australia's Defense Department. No one was injured and no details of the extent of damage were released.

"We certainly regard it as a serious incident," said Defense Minister Robert Hill to reporters in Darwin. He said that the mishap was being investigated by both Australian and American authorities

Bombing exercises at the weapons range have stopped for now.

"Things like this will always happen; we hope not very frequently and we hope not any more dangerously," Prime Minister John Howard told Melbourne Radio 3AW. "But the idea that you can conduct any kind of military exercise without some kind of potential for mishap is unrealistic." (File Photo)

The US Marine contingent was conducting an annual training exercise called Southern Frontier involving 500 troops, 15 F/A-18 Hornets and two KC-130 Hercules aircraft. The units are based in Japan.

FMI: www.usmc.mil