A misfired Danish naval Harpoon missile traveled 34 km, destroying four summer cottages and damaging 130 buildings with no casualties.
Key Facts
- Date
- 6 September 1982
- Missile type
- Harpoon anti-ship missile
- Launching vessel
- HDMS Peder Skram (Danish frigate)
- Distance traveled
- 34 km
- Cottages destroyed
- 4 (unoccupied)
- Buildings damaged
- 130
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During a training maneuver in the Kattegat on 6 September 1982, the Danish frigate HDMS Peder Skram accidentally discharged a live Harpoon missile. The misfire was unintentional, occurring in the course of a routine naval exercise rather than any combat engagement.
The live Harpoon missile flew 34 kilometers at low altitude over Danish territory, severing several power lines along its path before striking a group of trees and exploding. The resulting fireball and shockwave caused immediate destruction in the surrounding area. The incident became informally known in Denmark as 'hovsa-missilet' — the Whoopsie Missile.
The explosion destroyed four nearby summer cottages, which fortunately were unoccupied at the time, and caused minor structural damage to an additional 130 buildings in the area. Despite the scale of destruction, no injuries were reported. The incident highlighted the potential dangers of live munitions during peacetime military training exercises.