The drill mines recovered by the Bahrain-based minehunter
during the 5-day exercise
454kg bomb destroyed in Gulf by Bahrain minehunter
MANAMA, June 24, 2015
A bomb weighing around 500kg that was buried in the Arabian Gulf for years was located and destroyed by a Bahrain-based minehunter.
It was discovered during a five-day exercise conducted by the French, British and US navies, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.
Bahrain-based British minehunter HMS Penzance along with French minesweeper FS Andromede found the 454kg bomb during the exercise, where they scanned the Northern Gulf.
Navy officials said despite lying 60 metres below the water surface, when detonated by a controlled explosion it created a substantial shockwave on the surface.
“The size of this explosion really highlighted what a potential danger this ordnance posed,” HMS Penzance operations officer Lieutenant Matt Bryers was quoted by Force TV, a news organisation focusing on the British Armed Forces.
“It is clear today that our presence in the Gulf is vital, and it makes my job worthwhile to have ensured the safety of shipping in the area.”
The exercise focused on HMS Penzance’s team of specialist divers working along with the US Navy’s Underwater Unmanned Vehicles.
“This was a really great experience for me as a diver,” said Able Seaman (Diver) Jake Connell.
“We showed the US Navy our capabilities and worked really well together.
“It was interesting to see how they use their equipment and it made our searches a lot quicker operating together.”
Meanwhile, three large orange conical drill mines were recovered during the exercise with the help of other British naval vessels based in Bahrain and US mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator.
“The last few weeks have really shown what the 21st Century Royal Navy does – working with coalition partners and key alliances in the Gulf we are committed to a permanent presence in the region, developing the capacity of local navies and supporting peace and freedom of the sea for all,” said HMS Penzance Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Jim Blythe.
The British minehunter is undergoing maintenance in Bahrain. - TradeArabia News Serice
