World War II mine destroyed in controlled explosion off Cornish coast
05 October 2012
A large World War II mine was safely detonated off Falmouth by Royal Navy bomb disposal experts on September 29. The device, measuring approximately 6ft by 3ft and containing more than 700kg of explosives, was found in the Helford River by a group of local scuba divers.
The unexploded parachute mine was towed out to sea, approximately one mile off the Falmouth coast, the area was cordoned off, and a Royal Navy bomb disposal team carried out a controlled detonation of the device.
Bomb disposal officer, Sid Lawrence said the device was "very, very powerful and very big. Whilst it would have been easier to blow the mine up where it was, it was too close to land and there was a risk to people and buildings," he said.
It is thought the unexploded mine is one of the biggest ever to be found in the South West.