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Malfunctioning missile detonated at Mugu
STORY TOOLS 
More from Breaking NewsThe second of two explosions to detonate a malfunctioning missile at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu went off at 5:08 p.m. today, creating a loud boom felt at least as far away as Camarillo and sending a plume of smoke several hundred feet high.
The earlier, smaller explosion occurred about 3 p.m.
The malfunction occurred Friday when the military tried to launch a Norwegian SS-1 anti-ship missile at 2 p.m. Officials decided to detonate the missile today, explaining it was not safe to handle by conventional methods.
Prior to the detonation, a 6,000-foot safety perimeter was set up around the launch pad and into the ocean, and people within the perimeter on the base were evacuated.
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Posted by Face on April 26, 2008 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent! Get some pics!
Posted by smithjc on April 26, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The military tried to launch the Norwegian SS-1 anti-ship missile at 2 p.m. yesterday <but it malfunctioned and could not officials decided it was not safe to handle in conventional methods>
huh? send these folks back to high school to learn how to write.
Posted by kosmoz13 on April 26, 2008 at 2:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
why were they launching the missle in the first place?
Posted by CamarilloMan on April 26, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
kosmoz13 they do it to test them.
Posted by Common_Sense on April 26, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That is what Mugu does...test weapons systems...
Posted by Camarilloborn on April 26, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SMITHJC-
Read it again. "but it malfunctioned and officials decided it was not safe to handle by conventional methods."
Now, I am not good with grammar but it looks fine to me!
Posted by Old_Fart on April 26, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SMITHJC saw it before the first of the corrections.
Get Pictures!
Posted by onapproach on April 26, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can't they just send it toward Casitas Springs instead?
Posted by DoctorDude on April 26, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My vote's for sending it to Simi.
Posted by onapproach on April 26, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think they just blew it up at 5:08PM. It rocked the whole neighborhood.
Posted by TheVeracious1 on April 26, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It rocked the house and caused older car alarms to go off. If the Star is referring to the smoke as a "visual impact", yes, smoke could be seen from the waters edge at the CI harbor.
Posted by Brownpride on April 26, 2008 at 5:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I vote to send it to Fillmore and Santa Paula.
Posted by sandypants83 on April 26, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
kosmoz13,
I dont know how long you have lived in the area, but before it was called "Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu" it was called "Pacific Missile Test Center".
That's why they were lunching it...that's what is done there.
Posted by mmshoot on April 26, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I vote to send it to my backyard.
Posted by kosmoz13 on April 26, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks for the info, everyone.
Posted by onapproach on April 26, 2008 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Since when is it not called the Pacific Missile Test Center? Isn't that still the name?
Posted by mmshoot on April 26, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Though so, onapproach. Do you have pix yet?
Posted by mmshoot on April 26, 2008 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Should read: "Thought so...."
Posted by DoctorDude on April 26, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
felt it on Palma dr by Salzers in Ventura. Gotta respect the power of that blast.
Posted by onapproach on April 26, 2008 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was hoping the Star would add a pic.
Posted by smithjc on April 26, 2008 at 11:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah, i saw the article before they had a 12 year old correct it. the whole first section of my post was lifted as a copy right out of the article.
Posted by rdo4JC on April 27, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When they have the air show at Point Mugu I can hear the "explosion" set off during the "wall of flame" all the way in east Ventura. As for the name of the base it hasn't been called PMTC since the early 1990s. It changed names to Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, which it still is now but is only a tenant command to the base now. NBVC runs the physical base.
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