Sava Riverbed Clearance - Site of 1944 Ship Sinking
Article donated by an anonymous UXOInfo.com reader.
Bosanski Novigrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina A joint UXO clearance operation of the Sava River in Bosanski Novigrad near Odzak was conducted on the spot where the river monitor Bosna* sunk after hitting a sea mine in 1944.
The clearance was conducted by the Department of the Special Diving Activities and Training of the Czech Republic Police, UXO Department of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Administration of Civil Protection (FACP), EOD Company of the Demining Battalion, Brigade for the Tactical Support of Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces (OSBIH EOD) and Unit for Special Support of Bosnia and Herzegovina State Agency for Investigation and Protection (SIPA). The operation was executed in two phases with the first phase conducted from the 4th thru the 13th Of September and second phase conducted from the 22nd of September thru the 4th of October 2013.
During the operation, a total of 241 UXO were uncovered and disposed of. The operation included Czech police and SIPA divers searching the riverbed and uncovering UXO. Suspect UXO was then identified by the Czech police and FACP EOD technicians. After identification, UXO too sensitive to move were rendered safe or blown in situ by FACP EOD techs; while UXO determined safe to move was handed over to OSBIH EOD technicians for disposal on a demolition range.
The following types of ordnance were uncovered and disposed of during the clearance:
- 15 mm Skoda machine gun ammo;
- 3.7 cm ship gun ammo;
- 6.6 cm shells M-1898 and M-1906;
- 12cm shells M-1906, M-1914, and M-1916
- 8cm WGr.34 projectiles
- B-1 depth charges converted in mines.
Images of UXO recovered from the Sava River clearance operation can be found below.
Disposal of 3.7cm shells:
12cm - M14 Shrapnel Round:
12cm Shells Recovered:
B-1 Depth Charge
The Sava river is a border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and as such, all activities were secured by river patrols of the Bosnia and Herzegovinian and Croatian border polices.
*River monitor Bosnia was first deployed by Austro-Hungarian Danube Fleet from 1881 until 1918 when it was captured by the Serbian Army and renamed "Morava". The ship's name in Austro-Hungarian Navy was Koros. From 1942 until its sinking, the ship sailed under Croatian River Fleet under the name "Bosna".
