A Japanese official mistakenly announced the launch of a North Korean missile instead of sending an alert about a strong earthquake.
An official at the western Osaka aviation bureau emailed 87 airport offices to say a North Korean missile had been launched, Japan’s transport ministry said.
The official was trying to send a message to check on possible airport damage immediately after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the southwestern city of Kobe, injuring dozens of people and destroying several homes.
But instead the official dispatched a pre-prepared alert ready to go in the event of a North Korean missile launch.
The incorrect message was retracted six minutes later but at least one domestic flight was delayed due to the mistake.
Japan is on full alert ahead of an expected mid-range missile launch by North Korea, with Patriot missiles stationed in its capital to protect the 30 million people who live there.
In addition to PAC-3 batteries, Aegis destroyers equipped with sea-based interceptor missiles have been deployed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
On Wednesday officials in the Japanese city of Yokohama were left red-faced aftermistakenly announcing the launch of a North Korean missile to 40,000 followers on Twitter.
Saturday night’s earthquake was in the area where a magnitude 7.2 quake killed more than 6,400 people in 1995.
The Meteorological Agency warned there may be aftershocks for about a week.
source: www.skynews.com
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