WWII Era Photo Flash Bomb Detonated Off Passage Key
Manatee County, Florida The Tampa Bay Regional EOD Bomb Squad successfully detonated a WWII photo flash bomb found in the water just north of Anna Maria. U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers found the device in two feet of water off Passage Key. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers contacted MCSO's Marine Unit for additional assistance. Passage Key, a sand bar north of Bean Point, is uninhabited.
Passage Key is approximately 3-miles south of Mullet Key Bombing and Gunnery Range, a former WWII era training area. The bomb was likely associated with WWII era training as the bombing circles and SDZs from the WWII era targets and ranges extended into the waters surrounding Mullet Key.
From a safety perspective, it is important to note that the NOAA charts for the area DO NOT accurately reflect the actual hazard / UXO areas associated with the former Bombing and Gunnery Range.
According to a public statement by the Coast Guard, the agency is "establishing a temporary safety zone within a 2000-ft radius of an ordnance detonation area. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the unexplored ordnance detonation. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg."
This rule is effective from November 17, 2015 through December 18, 2015. The statement continues, "The purpose of this event is to clear any unexplored ordnance from a former gunnery training site. The Passage Key Air-to Ground Gunnery Range area was formerly used for arial training during World War II. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USACE will search for and destroy any ordnance found in the vicinity of Passage Key with controlled explosives. The safety zone will incorporate a 2000-ft buffer area outside of the investigation and detonation area. The U.S. USACE will be responsible for the detonation of ordnance within the specified area."