The four technicians died during mission when a 250 kg post-WWII Soviet bomb exploded at a former bombing range near Nádudvar in eastern Hungary on July 1.

A fif th technician suf fered serious injuries.

The investigation has established that the accident was caused by the explosive’s increased sensitivity to impact, a condition that could be attributed to its age, Tibor Benkő, the Hungarian army chief, said.

The commander properly identified the device and the method of defusing it. All technicians had proper qualifications and acted in line with the rules, he said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Máthé Zoltán