Action to remove dangerous unexploded ordnance in the port of Gdynia

Over the past 48 hours, as many as 60 sailors from the Mine Divers Group of the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla and from the crew of the destroyer ORP Flaming from the 13th minesweeper Squadron took part in an operation to neutralise explosives from the Second World War discovered in the port of Gdynia.

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As informed by the City Crisis Management Centre in Gdynia, the first stage of removing the dangerous find began on the morning of 19 March. Detonation of mines type GC – German and Mark VI – English, containing several hundred kg of explosives each, was scheduled for 9.00 a.m. The whole operation was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Jacek Barczak.

A total of five mines were located. Four of them were located in the area of the Gdynia marina, just behind the breakwater, while the fifth was found within the Gdynia harbour in basin II and is scheduled to be detonated on 29 March 2015.

The transport of dangerous remains from the Second World War was carried out using idrodynes – specialised air-filled balloons. During inflation the balloon lifts the supported cargo and can then be towed in the desired direction.

Due to the very high explosive force of some of the charges, special precautions were introduced. For the time the unexploded ordnance was transported to the high seas, a complete ban on swimming was introduced and beaches in the Tri-City were closed. One hundred people took part in securing the area in Gdynia alone!

The planners and leaders of the entire operation took care not only for the safety of people, but also to ensure that the detonation had the least possible impact on the environment, especially fish. To this end, ORP Wigry was sailing nearby and its radar equipment was designed to deter representatives of marine fauna.

The German GC mine, which weighed more than a ton, was detonated after 16.00. After being transported to the disposal site and placed on the bottom, divers were sent to arm the detonation charges and prepare everything for blasting. Finally, another group of divers was sent each time to confirm whether everything went according to plan.

The next operations started on 20 March in the morning. At about 9.00 a.m. divers from the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla started their work underwater. At the same time ORP Mamry was circling around the area to scare fish and seals.

After the mine was towed to the site around 12.00 by ORP Flaming, preparations were made to prepare everything for detonation. By 16.00 all the charges were armed and prepared to be blown up. The second charge was detonated after 16.30.

The first part of the clean-up of the Port of Gdynia was thus completed. The last of the found unexploded munitions will be lifted and detonated on 29 March.

Source: dziennikbaltycki.pl, 8fow.mw.mil.pl