An active World War II British naval mine found in the waters off Cape D’Aguilar will be disposed of on the afternoon of September 9. The mine, which was found by a Hong Kong resident who was diving in the area on August 9, was inspected by the Hong Kong Police Force and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau.
The mine is located on the seabed at a depth of 15 metres underwater and 1.4 kilometres northeast of Cape D’Aguilar. It measures about one metre high, 1.5 metres long and weighs one tonne. The mine also contains about “500 pounds of high explosives”, which authorities believe are active and will therefore conduct an underwater disposal operation to “neutralise the relevant threats”.
The Marine Department designated a one-kilometre radius around the mine as restricted waters from 12pm on September 8 and no vessels may enter this area until the EDOB’s disposal operation is complete. The hiking trails in the area adjacent to the mine site will be cordoned off during this time, and the surrounding airspace will be listed as a temporary no-fly zone from 9am to 3pm on September 9.
Header image credits: GovHK
