Sheerness, United Kingdom Engineers have successfully dismantled and removed all three masts from the sunken SS Richard Montgomery, significantly mitigating the risk of a catastrophic UXO detonation in the Thames Estuary. The WWII US cargo ship sank in 1944 while carrying approximately 3 million pounds of munitions, with its submerged holds containing an estimated 300 2,000-pound blockbuster bombs alongside more than 2,000 cluster bombs.

The complex structural removal was initiated out of concern that the degrading masts could collapse directly into the UXO payload. For decades, experts have warned that a sympathetic detonation of the wreck could produce a localized tsunami, launch debris up to two miles into the air, and level the nearby coastal community.

Completed ahead of schedule and under its $12 million USD budget, the preventive engineering project successfully relieved the structural load on the decaying hull without disturbing the munitions. The salvaged masts have since been relocated to the Historic Dockyard Chatham museum.

To ensure ongoing safety, the wreck is strictly protected by a long-standing maritime exclusion zone to prevent ships from entering the area.

Paw Paw Township, Michigan Family members cleaning out their grandfather's basement found a military munition dated 1945. The discovery led to a response by the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, the Paw Paw Fire Department and Van Buren Emergency Medical Services.

Deputies confirmed that the item was a grenade but were unsure if it was live or not. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Bomb Squad was called in to X-ray the grenade and safely remove the grenade for proper disposal.

The sheriff's office is reminding residents that old military ordnance and other potentially explosive devices can remain dangerous for decades, regardless of appearance.

Austin, Texas An estate sale purchase led to the discovery of several WWII-era grenades, prompting a response from the Austin Police Department. Upon examination, the Austin Police bomb disposal team determined that the decades-old grenades could still be explosive and safely removed them after securing the area.

[More]

Pinrang, South Sulawesi Indonesia An antique collector using a metal detector in Malimpung Village discovered a 50-kilogram unexploded aircraft bomb, prompting an emergency response from local authorities. The UXO, believed to be a remnant of the Japanese occupation of Indonesia during WWII, was found buried approximately 50 centimeters underground.

Upon being notified of the discovery, the South Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade's Gegana bomb disposal unit deployed to the site. Under police security, bomb disposal personnel secured the area and successfully neutralized the hazard by conducting three separate controlled detonations.

[More]

Bald Head Island, North Carolina Local authorities responded to the discovery of a suspected UXO near Beach Access 35 on Bald Head Island. Village Public Safety officials immediately established a protective cordon around the area, allowing EOD technicians to safely perform an on-site controlled detonation to eliminate the hazard.

The emergence of legacy munitions is a known occurrence on the island, stemming from its historical military footprint during both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Shifting sands caused by coastal storms, tidal changes, and routine dredging operations frequently expose these long-buried munitions along the shoreline.

[More]

Paignton, United Kingdom Royal Navy EOD personnel were called to a local British Heart Foundation retail store after a piece of suspected military ordnance was accidentally handed in with a batch of civilian donations.

Specialist from the Royal Navy's Bravo Squadron EOD, based at HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth, responded to the scene and identified the object as a live British 3-inch HE mortar. After conducting an initial assessment and determining the item was safe to move, the EOD team carefully transported the munition away from the populated commercial area.

[More]