Naval target mine washes ashore on popular Florida beach, bringing in a bomb quad and forcing the beach to close.
The naval mine washed ashore in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, a small town north of Fort Lauderdale in Florida. The naval mine forced the beach into closure while the bomb squad was bought in to investigate.
The grey device measured at about 4 feet in diameter and floated onto the beach during the weekend. The bomb squad arrived at around 2:30 am local time to examine the device, and secure the site until U.S Air Force officials arrived. After examination, the bomb was removed off of the beach where it was driven away for further inspection. No evacuations were ordered, despite the temporary closure of the beach.
The mine was discovered while a sheriff’s deputy was on patrol around 2:30 am. The item had the word ‘inert’ on it, out of caution the bomb squad reached out to the air reserve base for further investigations.
“Sometimes, like in this instance, weather, waves, or other circumstances prevent our boats from being able to recover the drones, and they can wash up on shore,” 1st Lt. Savannah Bray, 53rd Wing spokeswoman, told Military Times. “The situation isn’t dangerous nor entirely uncommon.”
It came from Gilligans Island
— 220,221 whatever it takes! (@brettmichaelha3) April 5, 2021
Naval mines are explosive devices left underwater to damage ships or submarines. Although unusual to have washed up on a beach, this is not the first time military devices have washed up on beaches around the area recently.
The Floridian beach was later reopened just before mid-day the following day. The device is now with the Air Force being examined for further investigation.
This news also follows several weeks after a team of bomb technicians had to be called out to a home in Marland in the U.S when a panic homeowner discovered they were accidentally given a live Civil War-era cannonball.
