Navy
Disruption As WW2 Bomb Dredged Up In Portsmouth
An unexploded Second World War bomb has been dislodged by dredging work preparing for the next generation of Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
A cordon had been put in place in Portsmouth Harbour, which was preventing cross-Channel ferries from entering or leaving the Hampshire city's ferry port until the device could be towed out to sea to be detonated.
Now, the device has now been safely moved further into the harbour to allow the continental port to temporarily re-open, and the plan is to tow the device out of the harbour later today when tidal conditions permit.
The discovery comes after another 1,100lb (500kg) German bomb was found at the end of September by the same dredging barge, which led to the evacuation of the nearby Gunwharf Quays retail and leisure centre.
A torpedo was also found in Portsmouth Harbour earlier in September.
Portsmouth Naval Base, with HMS St Albans docked on the left and HMS Diamond docked on the right (image: Anne Burgess)
A Royal Navy (RN) spokesman said:
"Another German unexploded bomb has been found in Portsmouth Harbour. A 500-metre cordon is in place around the device, which is preventing cross-channel ferries from entering and leaving the ferry port".
"Victory Gate is closed to pedestrians. Naval base employees are instead having to enter through Marlborough Gate on Queen Street".
"A plan is in place to tow the bomb out of the harbour, where it will be destroyed in open waters by RN bomb disposal experts".
"The device was found by a dredging barge carrying out work in the harbour before the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth - the Navy's new 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier - into the naval base next spring."
Queen Elizabeth will be the first of the new generation of British aircraft carriers, and is due to enter service in 2020.
HMS Queen Elizabeth under construction
She's due to arrive at Portsmouth, the home of the Royal Navy, in around six months time - but at 280 metres long, the current facilities at Portsmouth Naval Base wouldn't be able to cope with her - so the quay side will need substantial strengthening.
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