Magnet Fisherman Reels in 19 WWII Grenades

Birmingham, United Kingdom Police and EOD responded to a river outside of a Birmingham after a magnet fisherman reeled in 19 grenades from the water. Che Williams was using his magnet to search for metal debris in the River Tame when he pulled the first grenade out of the water.

He remained in the same spot and pulled up a total 19 grenades. Two of the grenades reportedly still had their pins in place, prompting him to contact police.

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Crew of Crabbing Vessel Injured by Potential UXO Blast

Norfolk, United Kingdom The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has launched an investigation into a blast aboard a fishing vessel which injured all seven crewmembers on board. The explosion aboard the crabbing vessel Galwad-Y-Mor is believed to have been caused by submerged UXO on the seabed, which may have been contacted by crab pots as the crew hauled them aboard.

Two British and five Latvian crewmembers were on board at the time of the explosion. All were injured, including some who suffered "life-changing" injuries.

MAIB issued the following statement, "At about 1120, the crew was in the process of hauling in a string of crab pots; the skipper was in the wheelhouse with other crew members below decks working the pots. The hauler was being used to heave in the back rope, and the crew had let the skipper know that there was a lot of tension on the line, when there was an unexpected explosion. Galwad-Y-Mor was thrown up from the sea surface, then landed heavily back down; all propulsion and electrical power was immediately lost. The skipper was injured and dazed, but conscious, and saw that the wheelhouse had been completely wrecked."

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Driftwood Hunters Discover Unexploded Bomb

Tuguegarao City, Philippines Villagers discovered a 1000-lb vintage bomb near the Pinacanauan River while gathering driftwood. Police responded to assist the villagers in removing the bomb which was turned over to the regional bomb disposal.

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Cache of WWII Munitions Discovered at Historic Hong Kong Site

Hong Kong, China EOD was called to a construction site near the 85-year-old Maryknoll House after twenty WWII hand grenades and 2,000 rounds of ammunition were unearthed by workers near a historic Hong Kong housing block for Catholic missionaries. The discovery prompted the evacuation of the area.

According to a statement from police, "The 19 British hand grenades and one Japanese hand grenade - all from the second world war - were found along with around 2,000 rounds of ammunition at the site. The 20 hand grenades were 15cm in length and 7.6cm in diameter."

The grenades were safely detonated at the site, while the bullets were taken away for further examination and off-site disposal. No injuries were reported.

Kitchen Sink Destroyed By UXO

Deal, United Kingdom A 38-year-old mother and 8-year-old daughter got the shock of their lives when a item they brought back from the beach suddenly burst into flames. The two unknowing found a WWII era hand grenade on the beach.

Believing the item was a fossil or old bone the two reportedly brought the encrusted item home and began to clean and scrape it when it caught fire in their kitchen sink. Emergency personnel responded and evacuated the area.

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Live WWII Era Sea Mine Recovered

Wemyss Bay, Scotland the crew of a Marine Scotland research boat found got a surprise from the sea when they pulled up an old sea mine. The crew notified Cost Guard who responded to the vessel. Pictures were sent to the Royal Navy EOD team for review.

EOD identified the sea mine as a WWII era German mine that appeared to be live. EOD responded to the vessel as the seven crew members were evacuated by lifeboat before their vessel was sailed to Ettrick Bay on the Isle of Bute.

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Warning Issued to Trespassers at An Army Training Range

Angus, Scotland Numerous reports of people racing bikes, scooters and ATVs at Barry Buddon Camp have led to a stern warning from police. The warning comes in addition to signs posted at the British Army training center about potential dangers from UXO.

In a public release, local police announced the following - "There has been substantial damage caused to Ministry of Defence property, such as shooting ranges and safety gates. The public should also be aware that there are often unexploded devices found in the area which also pose a risk to their own safety."

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