The Fleet Diving Unit from Colwood, B.C., was called in to deal with a potentially explosive mortar discovered in Kalamalka Lake Monday.
Image Credit: Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific)
August 09, 2013 - 10:28 AM
VERNON - A sunken military mortar was safely removed from Kalamalka Lake Friday morning.
Lt.-Navy Grey Menzies, spokesperson for the navy, says a suspicious object discovered by a local swimmer Monday is indeed an unexploded ordnance. A military dive team hit the water Wednesday, Thursday and again Friday morning, taking their time with the potentially dangerous war time relic.
"They have found it and removed it," Menzies says. "The next phase is disposing of it."
The ordnance, a mortar, was discovered by a swimmer about 20 feet deep and 100 feet offshore. The area around Cosens Bay was used for military practices during the Second World War, and some unexploded ordnance discoveries have had fatal consequences.
While the bomb has been pulled from the water, there's work yet to be done. Menzies says where there's one unexploded ordnance, there could be others.
"They'll continue on with a search of the area to make sure it's safe for the public," Menzies says.
He couldn't comment on where the bomb might be disposed of.
To contact the reporter for this story, contact Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca, call (250)309-5230 or tweet @charhelston.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013