Royal Navy bomb disposal experts have destroyed a World War Two device discovered in the wreck of a 17th Century warship. The 987kg (2,175lbs) explosive was towed away from the protected remains of the sunken vessel near Southend Pier.
Divers worked on the bomb in a six-day operation, primarily by touch due to poor visibility. Lieutenant Ben Brown, the officer in charge, described the conditions as “some of the most challenging diving conditions”. The German parachute ground mine was one of the largest bombs used by the Luftwaffe during the war.
“The complexity of this task should not be underestimated,” Lt Brown said. “With nil visibility underwater and significant tidal flow, the diving windows are extremely limited and all work on the ordnance must be done by touch.” He added that deteriorating weather and proximity to one of the UK's busiest shipping channels had “added another layer of complexity”.
The bomb was discovered by civilian divers from Historic England during an archaeological dive on the shipwreck London, which was launched in 1656 and sank in 1665. It was detonated five miles away at the disposal site at Shoeburyness, off the Essex coast.
