Portsmouth Harbour, off Gunwharf
23 November 2016 · Portsmouth, Hampshire
View this record on the map →- Date
- 23 November 2016
- Record type
- Found UXO
- Bomb weight
- 227kg
- Cordon radius
- 500m
- Casualties
- None reported
- Location
- Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Position accuracy
- Confirmed incident, approximate point (found underwater)
What happened
A 500lb German bomb was found in Portsmouth Harbour early one morning, prompting a 500m exclusion zone across the waterfront.
How it was made safe
Towed out and detonated about 1.5 miles east of the Isle of Wight.
Evacuation
Gunwharf Quays, Old Portsmouth, the Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Harbour station and the Gosport and Wightlink ferry terminals all cleared.
Also worth knowing
The Royal Navy noted that such devices still pose a very serious threat when they are moved — the reason a find that has lain harmlessly for eighty years still closes a city centre.