The mine, thought to be a one-ton parachute device, was located yesterday by a survey vessel carrying out routine sonar work.
The mine, which had escaped notice in the busy harbour for at least 65 years, was found one nautical mile off Fort Head, sitting well proud of the seabed.
Not realising initially what they had found, the ship’s crew raised the object for inspection. Once they recognised what it was, they lowered the mine back carefully to the bottom.
The Royal Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team travelled over from Plymouth and identified a safe deep-water area outside the harbour, south-east of Balaklava Bay, for detonation.
The mine will be towed there once current heavy weather has subsided.
An exclusion zone will be established by marine police, and the Coastguard will broadcast warnings to shipping to steer clear of the area.
Related links
Old mine is detonated
Bomb detonated off South Coast
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