Navy disposes of 90 unexploded bombs of World War-II vintage

The Navy successfully disposed of 90 unexploded bombs of World War-II vintage found during the dredging of Mumbai harbour channel recently, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Defence Minister A K Antony told the upper house that in May the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust while dredging for deepening and widening the Mumbai harbour channel sough Navy's assistance to safely dispose of 90 unexploded World War-II vintage bombs found in the process.

"Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team rendered assistance towards inspection and safe disposal of approximately 90 unexploded bombs, all of which were inert," Antony said.

Though recovery of stray unexploded munitions is routine in and around Mumbai Harbour, the sheer quantity of the cache found in May had baffled the Navy.