Palomares to get US cleanup 46 years later
Foreign Minister says Washington has committed to removing the radioactive land that still exists since 1966 accident
The United States has committed to clean up "as soon as possible" the area near the Almería fishing village of Palomares where 46 years ago a payload of nuclear bombs accidentally fell following a B-52 in-air crash.
Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo made the announcement during a news conference with his Moroccan counterpart who was visiting Madrid on Friday. For decades the US government has resisted conducting a cleanup because of the high-cost involved and to avoid setting a precedent. The US army did remove much of the contaminated land but there is still a lot of radiation in the area.
García Margallo said he would discuss the proposal with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom he is set to meet in Munich this weekend.
