EOD Responds to Possible Munition Finds In Outer Banks

Outer Banks, North Carolina Two possible mines were discovered in separate areas along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, one on Whale Head Beach in Corolla and a second near Cape Hatteras National Seashore, according to a news release from the National Park Service. An EOD unit from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point was called in to investigate both finds.

There is no word on the identification of the Hatteras find (shown below), but EOD did identify the Whale Head Beach item as an inert training mine.

NC-Seamines

In with the Tide, Out with the Bomb Squad

Osterville, Massachusetts A beachgoer discovered a military ordnance on Dowses Beach in Osterville while walking along the shoreline. Officials responded to find a phosphorous signal flare used for Navy training exercises. The device was removed by the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad and taken to a local landfill where it was rendered safe.

Military Marine Flare "Sparks" Concern

Harwich, Massachusetts Beachgoers rightly reported a suspect device found floating in the waters of Nantucket Sound. Harwich Police and Fire responded to the scene and evacuated people in the area while the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad inspected the item.

Hazardous device technicians removed the item which was determined to be a military marine white phosphorous flare, dropped from an aircraft to mark a location at sea. The item was taken to the Harwich Transfer Station for proper disposal.

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Park Temporarily Closed Due To Off-Shore Munition Find

Makua Beach, Hawaii Authorities temporarily closed a portion of the Kaena Point State Park due to the discovery of a munition item located approximately 60 feet off-shore. The munition was initially found by two divers in five feet of water just off of Makua Beach.

Park officials called the Honolulu Police Department Bomb Squad to report the find. Police coordinated with Navy EOD who responded and destroyed the item in place without incident. The munition is shown below (exact type not reported).

Makua Beach

Missing Persons Investigation Turns Up Munition

Watervliet, New York New York State Police divers searching for evidence in the case of missing 21-year-old Noel Alkaramla, found a 40 mm round in the Hudson River. Navy divers were called in to remove and dispose of the ordnance which is unrelated to the case.

It is unknown how the UXO ended up in the river, but the search was being conducting in the area north of the Watervliet Arsenal where artillery pieces are made.

Seawolf Missile Tail Reeled in by UK Fishermen

Brixham, United Kingdom A British Royal Navy EOD team was called to investigate a reported munition item aboard a fishing boat in Brixham. The item was identified as a spent propulsion unit from a Seawolf missile, which would have been fired from a Naval vessel.

Once deemed inert, the ordnance was transferred from the fishing vessel to the quay and then to the EOD's vehicle for disposal.

Resident Finds UXO Along Cape Cod Beach

East Falmouth, Massachusetts A local resident called police to report finding "old ammunition shell" on the beach. Falmouth Police responded, and later contacted the Mass State Police Hazardous Devices Unit. The Bomb Technicians moved the device to an open area off Blacksmith Shop Road where they safely disposed on the ordnance through open detonation.

Sea Mine Sparks Alert on Scottish Coast

Ardrossan, Scotland The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team was called in to examine a suspected sea mine that washed up on Scotland's west coast. Police cordoned off the area and sent images of the device to EOD at the Faslane Naval Base for assessment.

The munition was determined to be a practice mine and not dangerous to the public. According to a statement from the coastguard, "Arrangements were made for the object to be recovered by the Royal Navy in due course with Coastguard Incident tape placed around the object to mitigate any future callouts prior to its recovery."

What A Catch - Fishing Trawler Snags Bomb

South Shields, United Kingdom The crew aboard the fishing trawler, Ticino, though they had a nice size catch in their nets based upon the weight but were shocked to find out that the 'big catch' was actually a bomb. The trawler was reportedly fishing 3-miles off of Souter Point when they caught the bomb in the nets.

The boat's Captain radioed the Coastguard to report the unusual find. The Coastguard sent a ship to the area and helped to safely navigate the bomb laden vessel to the Whitley Bay where an EOD team from the Royal Navy was waiting. EOD inspected the bomb and identified as it WWII era British bomb that was likely jettisoned from a bomber returning from a mission.

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Blasts Along Bluffs Surprise Unsuspecting Residents

Sequim, Washington Residents in the area of Dungeness Landing Park were startled by three explosions, followed by smoke billowing above the bluffs. They were unaware that members of the 129th EOD Company from Joint Base Lewis-McChord had been called in to destroy several pieces of ordnance that washed ashore on the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.

The ordnance, identified by EOD as marine markers, were reportedly fired during military training operations in the area. The EOD response was the second response by EOD in area over the past week. The other call was also to dispose of munitions that washed ashore.

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