The operation carried out by the 41st Demining Team of the Mine Divers Group of the 12th Minesweeper Squadron from Świnoujście and the 23rd Bomb-Disposal Patrol of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment from Bolesławiec at the flooded basalt quarry in Złotoryja began on Monday, 18 July, and ended on Wednesday, 20 July, in the evening.
In total, the mine divers from Świnoujście recovered five dangerous items from underwater, including Soviet artillery shells dating from World War II. (The largest had a caliber of 122 mm.)
The uniformed officers from West Pomerania handed all the unexploded ordnance over to the soldiers from Bolesławiec. According to staff warrant officer Radosław Mazur, commander of the Bomb-Disposal Patrol of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment, the items mentioned had been deliberately thrown into the body of water, as they were all found close to the shore.
The bomb-disposal specialists from the City of Ceramics transported the dangerous finds in fragmentation-proof containers to a training ground, where they were detonated.
We wrote more extensively about the entire operation in the article Unexploded ordnance in a quarry. Bomb-disposal specialists from Bolesławiec and mine divers from Świnoujście take part in the operation.
As reported on its Facebook profile by Patrol Saperski Bolesławiec:
Our page is dedicated to educating the public about the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance, misfires, and military-origin explosive and dangerous objects, as well as the rules for dealing with them when they are found.
It should be understood that explosives used in military technology are, in practice, completely resistant to weather conditions and retain their explosive properties regardless of their production date.
The bomb-disposal specialists add:
If you have any suspicion about a found object, call the bomb-disposal specialists.
They will remove the danger; they are appropriately trained and equipped to do so.
What should you do if you find unexploded ordnance or a misfired projectile?
- Do not touch the object.
- Secure the area from bystanders (for example, children) and mark it.
- Report the matter immediately by calling the emergency number 112; notify the police, municipal police, fire service, or forestry service.