WWII Era Bomb Found On Beach, Then Lost at Sea

Felixstowe, United Kingdom Construction workers installing an erosion control and beach protection system along the Suffolk coast uncovered a WWII era unexploded German Bomb during recent excavations. Hundreds of homes were evacuated as Royal Navy Bomb Disposal experts devised a plan to deal with the bomb estimated to weigh 1,000 pounds. The plan was a simple, attach the bomb to a floating frame and tow it two miles out to sea where it could then be safely detonated. The plan would ensure that nearby homes and businesses would not be damaged during the disposal shot.

The WWII era German bomb shown in the image below, was strapped into the cradle and began its journey out to sea. However, as the bomb was being towed out to sea, strong currents and high seas caused one of the straps holding the bomb in the cradle to break. The bomb then dropped from the cradle back into the sea. Due to poor visibility and rough conditions, the exact place the bomb was lost was not known.

Since the incident occurred, the Royal Navy has spent the past six (6) days searching for the lost bomb using an unmanned submarine known as Remus. A temporary exclusion zone has been imposed in the general area where the Navy believes the bomb to be to protect boaters. The Navy hopes to locate the bomb in order to continue with its proper disposal. At this point, it's unknown how long the Navy will continue the search.