Explosives And Ordnance Division News

Royal Navy Divers Explode WWII Mine

Royal Navy divers have carried out a controlled explosion on a World War II mine netted by a fishing boat off the coast of Hartlepool. The two-man crew of the Hartlepool-registered Osprey reported the mine to coastguards on April 8. The town's lifeboat was scrambled to monitor the situation about two miles offshore until naval munitions experts could assess the situation. Humber Coastguard said a controlled explosion was the safest option. Coastguard officers put the vessel in contact with Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) divers who confirmed that the object was a World War II mine. (Source: BBC News)