Marine Mammal Evacuation Precedes Detonation

Doggers Bank, North Sea The Royal Netherlands Navy mine hunter HNLMS Makkum cleared a 4,000-pound bomb found by fishermen at the Doggers Bank, a shoal in the North Sea about 200 miles off the Dutch coast in the North Sea. The WWII-era UXO, known as a "Blockbuster," was designed to blast away a dwelling.

Before detonating the bomb, marine mammals were encouraged to swim away from the site by a sonar system generating a high-frequency response. The bomb was lifted up to 10 meters below the waterline to reduce the damage of the blast.

A diver was sent down to inspect the ordnance. It was concluded from this observation that the Blockbuster's 1800 kg of explosives had leaked away during the munition's 70 years underwater.