Andy Smith
Mine action specialist
 

Mined area Indicators – Tank

 


Sheet 23     Tank
(Page 1)

It was raining when the photograph was taken. The picture shows an abandoned tank at the side of a rural road. The undergrowth was burnt-off during the last dry season and is just starting to grow back.

The tank was damaged in fighting and abandoned. People avoid it because they know that the side of the road is mined.

You can see some clues that the area is dangerous if you look closely at the picture.

Suggested message(s):

  • Avoid abandoned or battle-damaged military equipment.
  • The verges of roads may be mined.
  • If local people avoid something, you should also avoid it.

 

Sheet 24     Tank
(Page 2)

The red arrows point to the indicators that can be seen in the picture.

From the left these are:

  1. An OZM-4 bounding fragmentation mine is half buried at the edge of the trees.
  2. Human bones are visible between the tank and the trees.
  3. A fire-damaged rifle is leaning against the tank barrel. It seems to have been put there to attract attention. There is ammunition in its magazine and it could still fire.
  4. On the ground in front of the tank, the top of a MAI-75 blast mine can just be seen.

Suggested message(s):

  • Avoid abandoned or battle-damaged military equipment.
  • The verges of roads may be mined.
  • If something makes you curious, it may have been left there to deliberately tempt you into a dangerous area.

 

Mined area
warning signs

 

Areas without
signs

 

Informal
warning
signs

 

Roads in
rural areas

 

 

Improvised devices
on roads

 

Surveyor's stick
scene

 

Fighter plane
scenario

 

Abandoned
grazing land

 

Tank
Scene

 

 

Washout
Scene

 

Embankment
Scene

 

Destroyed
train

 

Abandoned
building

 

Transporter
Scene

 

Angola bush
Scene

 

Power-line
Scene

 

Burnt-off
area

 

Trench
Scene

 

 

Angola
bush 2

 

OZM
Scene

 

Small
fuzes

 

 

How mines
age

 

Other common
AP mines

 

Other common
ordnance

 

Other common
indicators

 

Ammunition
dump

 

Mine
injuries

 

TEACHING
NOTES
*.doc

 

TEACHING
NOTES
*.pdf