Second World War mine found in Portland Harbour (From Dorset Echo)
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Second World War mine found in Portland Harbour
8:00am Thursday 11th March 2010 in
ROYAL Navy bomb disposal experts were today due to dispose of a Second World War mine found in Portland Harbour.
The one-ton German air dropped ground mine was discovered lying on the harbour seabed during a dredging operation.
A 1,000-metre exclusion zone was introduced and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from Plymouth was alerted.
Experts had to wait until today – for improved weather conditions – to carry out a controlled explosion in Weymouth Bay.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the mine was found during a routine shoreline survey on Tuesday.
It was lifted from the water but carefully replaced once it emerged exactly what the item was.
Portland Coastguard contacted the EOD team, who dispatched the Royal Navy’s Southern Diving Unit 1.
Lieutenant Commander Richard Talbot, the naval officer in charge of the unit, said it was a ‘significant item of ordnance’.
He said: “These things were put on an aircraft and dropped into the sea. They floated down on a parachute, which fell off when it hit the water.
“Lots of people ask how often you find these things. You can’t really answer that – it’s very random and we might not find anything else for six months now.”
Lt Cmdr Talbot said his team was hoping to dispose of the mine yesterday but poor weather made it impossible.
“The safety of the public is key,” he said. “With the conditions yesterday, it was never going to happen.
“You can do these things in marginal conditions but, while it’s old, it’s still ordnance and you have to treat it with a great deal of respect, as we all do.
“Luckily it was in around 15 metres of water. If you’ve got water over it, it does lessen the impact of any explosion.
“Also, the weather wasn’t exactly lending itself to people getting out on the water – Portland Harbour was very quiet yesterday.”
The exclusion zone remained in place throughout yesterday and coastguards warned shipping to steer clear.
Lt Cmdr Talbot’s team will carefully lift and tow the ordnance to a safe area for disposal.
Comments(18)
17th Earl of Fortuneswell
says...
9:39am Thu 11 Mar 10
shy talk
says...
10:41am Thu 11 Mar 10
pd7
says...
11:55am Thu 11 Mar 10
Well at least it will give one good wave.
ballstoit
says...
12:59pm Thu 11 Mar 10
KABOOM!!
Stoneman
says...
2:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10
pmsl at security word mine-half
Stoneman
says...
2:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10
pmsl at security word mine-half
Duckorange
says...
2:49pm Thu 11 Mar 10
There. I've said it.
he-man!
says...
3:17pm Thu 11 Mar 10
he-man!
says...
3:22pm Thu 11 Mar 10
staffs
says...
5:34pm Thu 11 Mar 10
he-man! wrote:then blasted it eight miles away.
Except when little maxwell headbutted it and it took his eye out.
he-man!
says...
6:06pm Thu 11 Mar 10
staffs wrote:Oh it was amazing you no hes in the RAF now thats where his love of flying came from.
he-man! wrote: Except when little maxwell headbutted it and it took his eye out.then blasted it eight miles away.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY DON'T LIKE THE NEW ECHO WEBSITE
says...
8:26pm Thu 11 Mar 10
gotJC
says...
3:23am Fri 12 Mar 10
he-man! wrote:Brilliant !!
staffs wrote:Oh it was amazing you no hes in the RAF now thats where his love of flying came from.
he-man! wrote: Except when little maxwell headbutted it and it took his eye out.then blasted it eight miles away.
daddykingcool
says...
5:39pm Fri 12 Mar 10
gotJC wrote:Bang-on!
he-man! wrote:Brilliant !!staffs wrote:Oh it was amazing you no hes in the RAF now thats where his love of flying came from.he-man! wrote: Except when little maxwell headbutted it and it took his eye out.then blasted it eight miles away.
Get a grip
says...
8:49pm Fri 12 Mar 10
james the thirst
says...
7:07pm Mon 15 Mar 10
daddykingcool wrote:I only wish these comments had been MINE
gotJC wrote:Bang-on!he-man! wrote:Brilliant !!staffs wrote:Oh it was amazing you no hes in the RAF now thats where his love of flying came from.he-man! wrote: Except when little maxwell headbutted it and it took his eye out.then blasted it eight miles away.
praha
says...
12:46pm Wed 17 Mar 10
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weymouth.co.uk says...
9:33am Thu 11 Mar 10