City team detonates a 1,300lb mine
A PLYMOUTH-BASED bomb disposal team detonated a 1,300-pound mine off the West Country coast yesterday.
The Second World War German ordnance shot a 50-foot plume of water skywards when it exploded.
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BLAST: A plume of water is hurled up as the WW2 parachute mine explodes
The Royal Navy's Southern Diving Unit, Devonport, detonated the 1,300-pound mine in the waters off Portland Harbour, Dorset.
"It went well," said Chief Petty Officer Diver Kas Kasapi.
"We fitted explosive charges to the mine, then set five-minute fuses and got rid of the mine five minutes later."
And he said that despite the size of the bomb, the team was not worried.
"I wasn't nervous; I have dealt with mines bigger than this and the team are quite experienced," he said.
The mine came to light during a dredging programme by the harbour authorities, who alerted the Coastguard on Tuesday.
It was photographed before being gently replaced on the seabed. The bomb disposal team was contacted and towed the mine out of Portland Harbour before detonating it.
The mine is believed to have been dropped by parachute during the Second World War. Luckily it was not active.
"They work on batteries and the batteries would have run down but there's always a danger with explosives," said CPO Kasapi.
2 Comments
by mr krabs and sandy, krusty krabs
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:24PM
“now now spongebob sandy was telling me all about wat happend to r dear freind squidward but life goes on u need to concrntrate more on my krabbie pattys and keeping plankton away from my seceret recipe”
by sponge bob, under the sea
Monday, March 15 2010, 4:34PM
“you just did not care did you??? my pineapple house was next to that bomb that you blew up.... now i am homeless and squidworth is dead...... how do you feel right now????. it was lucky for you that myself and patrick was out catching jellyfish for our crabiepaddies otherwise i would have died. i hope you will be coming to squidworth funeral on friday at the breakwater wall. we will then be moving on to the diner for crabiepaddies...... please be more thoughtful when you decided to blow things up as you never know who or what maybe living at the bottom of the sea........... thanks SPONGE-BOB SQUARE PANTS.”