AN exploded wartime bomb was caught in the nets of a fishing boat off the East Anglian coast and ended up on the vessel’s deck.
AN exploded wartime bomb was caught in the nets of a fishing boat off the East Anglian coast and ended up on the vessel’s deck.
At about 7.20pm on Friday Thames Coastguard were informed by the Fisheries Protection vessel HMS Mersey that they were proceeding to the a Belgium vessel 14 nautical miles off Walton-on-the-Naze.
The boat – called FV Marretje Aaltje – had snagged its nets on the wartime mine and the crew needed urgent help deal-ing with it.
Coastguards contacted the boat and established its position as being in the centre of the “Sunk vessel traffic separation area”.
HMS Mersey then escorted the vessel to a position of deep water where they lowered the mine back onto the seabed and marking it with a buoy.
Navigational safety broadcasts were made throughout the night by the coastguard to warn shipping and HMS Mersey patrolled the area.
This morning HMS Mersey transported the Navy’s bomb disposal southern diving unit to the mine where a controlled explosion was carried out.
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