RSIPF investigates fatal bomb blast in Honiara

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF)Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team and Forensics Department are now at the scene of a fatal bomb blast in the Tasahe area of West Honiara which occurred early this evening (20 September 2020).

Authorities at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara have confirmed to the RSIPF Media Unit tonight that two foreign nationals died as a result of the blast. The two foreign nationals were working for the Norwegian non-government organisation, Norwegian Peoples Aid, that is conducting a non-technical survey on the contamination of Unexploded Ordnances (UXOs) in Solomon Islands. The State Department of the United States of America funds the Project.

Officer-In-charge (OIC) of the RSIPF EOD Inspector Clifford Tunuki says, “We received a report on the incident this evening and we are now at the scene of the tragic incident. EOD officers will have to render the scene safe before the RSIPF Forensics and other investigators access the scene to find out what happened.”

“We call on members of the public in the Tasahe area of West Honiara to please stay well away from the area of the incident and allow RSIPF officers to do their work as we investigate this tragic incident,” says Inspector Tunuki.

“I can confirm that none of the RSIPF EOD officers were at the scene when the bomb blast happened despite the fact that we work together with the Project. The survey team goes out to confirm the location of the UXOs following reports from the communities and the information is relayed to us. We determine what to do with the UXOs after the survey has located them,” Inspector Tunuki explains.

He adds, “On behalf of the RSIPF I wish to convey my sincere condolences to family and relatives of those two foreign nationals who died in this tragic incident.”