Navy divers neutralise a bomb in the port of Águilas

• The explosive device was located a few metres from an underwater outfall near the harbour at 16 metres depth.

An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Navy's Mine Clearance Diver Unit (UBMCM) has identified, neutralised and removed the remains of a German SD50 type aircraft bomb near the port of Aguilas, Murcia.

A resident of the town of Lorca found the device while working as a diver at the "Club de Buceo la Almadraba" and alerted the Law Enforcement and Security Forces. The Special Group for Underwater Activities (GEAS) of Murcia confirmed the finding and initiated the Guardia Civil-Navy protocol regarding the detection of explosive devices, notifying the Headquarters of the Maritime Action Force, which, through the Maritime Action Operations and Surveillance Centre (COVAM), deployed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

A coordination meeting was held early on the morning of Friday 25th at the "Juan Montiel" marina, attended by an officer from the Naval Command of Cartagena (COMARCART), a councillor from the Town Council of Águilas, a representative of the Harbour Master´s Office of the port of Águilas, a representative of the GEAS-Guardia Civil of Murcia-, 061 medical personnel who provided medical coverage during the intervention, a patrol of the Guardia Civil and the Local Police of Águilas, and the chief officer of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

With the support provided by the GEAS - boats and personnel-, the UBMCM divers moved to the area and located the device a few metres from an outfall, at sixteen metres depth.

After locating the device, the Navy's EOD operators carried out a controlled detonation and later confirmed that it was a German SD50 aviation bomb with almost seventeen kilograms of TNT.

The operators considered it safe to proceed with the removal of the device. Therefore, they decided to refloat and tow it to a position several metres away from the outfall in order to proceed with its final destruction. After a second detonation, the bomb was neutralised. Before leaving the area and in order to avoid any possible environmental impact, the divers collected the remains of the device after the detonation.

Mine Clearance Diver Unit (UBMCM)

Like the rest of the Navy's Diving Units, UBMCM personnel are specialised in the deactivation of underwater explosive devices. This Unit has divers trained in underwater demining techniques (EOD-Sub), being the only ones qualified to carry out this type of task. This activity, within the maritime and coastal area, is an exclusive competence of the Navy.