The British Ministry of Defense said on the 24th that a bomb left over from World War II was safely detonated at sea on the same day. The evacuation operation following the discovery of the bomb was one of the largest peacetime evacuations in British history.
According to the Associated Press, the bomb, which weighed about 500 kilograms, was found in the backyard of a family in Plymouth, a port city in southwestern England, on the 20th of this month. Bomb disposal experts assessed that the risk of significant losses from in-situ de-escalation was too high, so it was decided to transfer it.
More than 10,000 local residents were evacuated to ensure safety. The military convoy carried the bomb through densely populated residential areas to a ferry terminal, from where it was transported to sea. After that, evacuated residents were allowed to return home.
Plymouth City Council President Tud Evans said: "I think the last few days can go down in Plymouth's history. ”
Located about 385 kilometers southwest of the capital London, Plymouth is a famous British military port and one of the most heavily bombed cities in Britain during World War II. According to the Associated Press, more than 2,500 high-altitude bombs were dropped on the city during World War II, and many of them did not hit their targets, but landed in residential areas.
After the end of World War II, undetected bombs were found from time to time in various parts of the United Kingdom. When such unexploded munitions are discovered, they are usually detonated at the scene and do not trigger a mass evacuation.
*: CCTV News.