Miner divers removed a giant WWII airplane bomb!

Divers-miners excavated and neutralised an American World War II-era aerial bomb whose payload was the equivalent of almost 300 kg of TNT! It was the first time such a dangerous find had been neutralised on the spot. So far, similar projects have always been carried out on the training ground.

A bomb containing a powerful explosive charge was found at a depth of 12 metres during dredging work on the Świnoujście-Szczecin waterway. The experts called to the site assessed that transporting the bomb through the canal would entail too many risks and difficulties, so it was decided to neutralise the find on the spot. The deflagration method was used for this purpose.

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“Deflagration is another way of burning the inside of a bomb. – We have been using this technique for five years using the Vulcan and Pluton systems. Until now, however, we have done it on firing ranges. Unexploded bombs discovered in the canals within the city or in the Szczecin Lagoon were picked up from the bottom, carried on board a ship and transported to the sea training grounds. There the sailors would lower them into the water and then neutralise them. Sometimes the war finds were handed over to the sappers, who destroyed them on the land training grounds. The same was done by mine divers from the 13th minesweeper Squadron stationed in Gdynia. – Before we start this type of operation, we consider all circumstances in detail. Until now, we have always concluded that destroying unexploded ordnance in the vicinity of human settlements is far more risky than picking it up and transporting it away. This time it was the other way round”. – admits Capt. Mar. Piotr Nowak, commander of the Group of Miners Divers of the 12th minesweeper Squadron in Świnoujście

Fortunately, everything went off without a hitch and the bomb was neutralised. Unfortunately, similar finds in this area are not rare. In the course of underwater works, every now and then new unexploded bombs are found, posing a threat not only to vessels, but also to local residents.

“This time there were no major complications. We managed to burn out about half of the explosive with the cumming cartridge, but the bomb fell apart. – With a very small charge we destroyed the detonator. The rest of the material was collected by divers and handed over to the sappers from the 8th Battalion of our flotilla. They will destroy it on the firing range,” explains Capt. Mar. Nowak.

Source: polska-zbrojna.pl

Photo: GNM / Press Section of 8 FOW
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