Marine Mine Disposed of After Being Mistaken for Buoy

A marine mine washed up on the beach at Burry Port near Llanelli has been disposed of in a controlled explosion after it had been mistaken for a buoy. A father of two unknowingly allowed his children to clamber over the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) before its true nature was identified by council rangers.

Mines regularly wash up on British beaches, having been deployed in their thousands at sea as a defensive measure against German U-boats and surface ships. Designed to be buoyant, marine mines have the potential to migrate for many miles before being deposited along the coastline where, often covered in barnacles and other crustaceans, they are difficult to discern for the untrained eye.

Fortunately this incident ended safely with an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team putting in place a 1,000m safety cordon before detonating the device on the beach in front of an intrigued crowd.

If you don’t know what an item discarded on the beach is, the safest option is to leave it alone and call for help.

See: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ww2-bomb-explodes-hours-after-6273131