WWII Bomb Found in Thames in Central London

Central London was brought to a standstill after a WWII Unexploded Bomb (UXB) was dredged up by workmen near Victoria Embankment. Nearby underground stations were evacuated and bridge crossings closed as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team assessed the viability of the device.

The device was later identified as an SD50 (50kg) German bomb. It is the first large ordnance item found in the capital this year and presumably not the last. Despite being regularly dredged, the River Thames likely remains littered with Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) given the heavy bombing on central London during WWII and the numerous Anti-Aircraft (AA) projectiles fired in defence of the capital.

The Royal Navy EOD team towed the UXB downriver to Tilbury where it could be safely detonated.

It is a timely reminder about the importance of undertaking appropriate risk assessments prior to any development works, particularly in areas that are known to have been subjected to significant bombing or other past military activity.

See: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/pictured-ww2-bomb-found-in-thames-which-caused-chaos-in-london-a3445831.html