Comsubin: 213 explosive devices removed in front of the Brindisi seafront

(To Comsubin)
20/04/18

After a delicate operation conducted from 16 to 19 April 2018 a few meters from the houses of the Regina Margherita seafront in Brindisi, the divers of the Underwater Operating Group of the Underwater Command and Navy Raiders, seconded to the SDAI Nucleus of Taranto (Demining Defense of Insidious ), found and destroyed 213 dangerous explosive devices of the Second World War.

During the underwater search for war remnants conducted by a company specializing in this sector, preparatory to the future consolidation activities of the central quay of the port, 80 explosive artifacts were reported for which their position was communicated to the local Port Authority who, after banning the area for transit, informed the prefecture of Brindisi of the danger, which arranged and coordinated the emergency remediation intervention of the Underwater Operational Group (GOS) of the Navy.

At the end of the operation, the commander of the SDAI Nucleo of Taranto, Lieutenant of vessel Mirko Leonzio, declared: "We returned to Brindisi after 3 months from our last intervention, to identify the 80 objects reported by the company that has the task of searching for any explosive devices in the area of ​​the Central quay of the Regina Margherita seafront. By carrying out our search procedures we found 27 medium and large caliber grenades, 181 medium caliber rounds and 5 mortar bombs, for a total of 213 explosive devices that had been lying, for 70 years, a few meters away from the Regina Margherita seafront , one of the most beautiful places in the city. Removed the bombs, we towed them at a distance until we reached an area on the high seas identified by the Maritime Authority where, through three distinct blasts to minimize the environmental impact, we destroyed them according to the consolidated techniques aimed at preserving the marine ecosystem.".

This intervention represents one of the many activities that the Navy divisions conduct to safeguard public safety even in inland waters, as reiterated by the Decree of the Ministry of Defense of 28 February 2017, carrying out high-risk diving operations aimed at restoring security conditions of bathing and surfing.

Last year the divers of the Italian Navy recovered and reclaimed a total of 22.000 explosive devices of war origin, while from 1 January 2018 there are already 3.245 explosive artifacts found and neutralized in the Italian seas, rivers and lakes, without counting the 10.068 shells of caliber less than 12,7 mm.

With a history of 169 years behind, divers offer national excellence in the field of underwater activities being able to conduct work dives up to 1.500 meters of depth and in any operational scenario, as part of their school tasks (rescue the crews of submarines in difficulty and the neutralization of explosive devices found in maritime contexts) and in favor of the community.

For these peculiarities, divers from other Armed Forces and Armed Forces of the State may be formed exclusively by the Comsubin School Group, which, through dedicated training courses, enables them to conduct bottom dives according to their respective skills.