Naval Service divers and explosive experts yesterday made safe a second World War anti-submarine mine packed with 360lbs of explosives which had been dragged up by a trawler fishing off the southwest coast.
The trawler, Sea Venture, discovered the mine when she lifted her nets after a trawl between Barry Head and Horse Rock off Courtmacsherry in west Cork at about 7am yesterday, and her skipper immediately contacted the Naval Service at Haulbowline in Cork Harbour.
The LE Eithne, which was in the area, was dispatched to the scene and rendezvoused with the Sea Venture after the trawler put into Courtmacsherry Bay at about 10am.
Ordinance officer Lt Clodagh McConnell inspected the device in the nets and confirmed it was a mine containing some 360lbs of explosives and was potentially still very dangerous.
Naval Service spokesman Lt Cdr Terry Ward said: "The mine was cylindrical in shape - it was 1.2 metres high and 60 centimetres in diameter - the base of the mine was badly corroded as was the detonation device but the explosives keg was still intact."
The device was identified as a German anti-submarine mine dating from the second World War, manufactured between 1941 and 1946.
The decision was taken to remove it to a safe area in Courtmacsherry Bay. Two Naval Service divers attached an explosive to the mine and it was made safe by remote detonation.
