2012 Incident #3 14.2.12 1540UTC #0384

The whole was tasked to a suspected explosive device found on the sand bar in Lyme Regis harbour.  Dorset Fire & Rescue & Dorset Police were also in attendance and had sealed off an area 100 metres around the device.  Two children had found the suspected anti tank mine while dredging work in the harbour was being carried out.  The Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team from Plymouth was brought in to secure the ‘device’.  It transpired that the device was not explosive and the teams were stood down.

As a Coastguard team we are often involved in these types of incidents, our advice is this –

Never touch any ordnance
If you are not sure what the item is leave it exactly where it is.
Never transport the item to a Coastguard Station or Police Station

Phone 999 and ask for the Police (if the item is above the high water mark) or Coastguard (if below the high water mark)

2012 Incident #1 06.02.12 1509UTC #319

The IRT was tasked to assist the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team with the safe recovery of a naval drogue target. Some elements of the target still appeared to be ‘live’, specifically the infra red pods.    The target was brought ashore by a local fishing trawler. Originally the drogue would have been towed behind a boat and used for gunnery target practice.  The drogue is capable of  providing a visual, a heat and an electronic target.  The ordnance was recovered by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operators and taken to RNAS Yeovilton. The Royal Navy will identify the source of the cartridges and then safely dispose of them.

As a Coastguard team we are often involved in these types of incidents, our advice is this –

Never touch any ordnance
If you are not sure what the item is leave it exactly where it is.
Never transport the item to a Coastguard Station or Police Station

Phone 999 and ask for the Police (if the item is above the high water mark) or Coastguard (if below the high water mark)

2011 Incident #54 12.12.11 1703UTC #5801

The IRT was tasked to assist the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team with the safe recovery of 8 50 calibre live shell cartridges that a local fishing trawler had caught in their nets.  On the stormiest evenings of the year, the ordnance was recovered from the vessel and transferred to the care of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operators.  The Royal Navy will identify the source of the cartridges and then safely dispose of them.

As a Coastguard team we are often involved in these types of incidents, our advice is this –

Never touch any ordnance
If you are not absolutely sure what the item is leave it exactly where it is.
Never transport the item to a Coastguard Station or Police Station

Phone 999 and ask for the Police (if the item is above the high water mark) or Coastguard (if below the high water mark)