"Explosion Would Devastate Village"...1.8t Massive Unexploded Bomb Found in Germany

Dismantling Work After Resident Evacuation

An unexploded 1.8-ton bomb, believed to have been dropped by British forces during World War II, was discovered in the northern waters of Germany.

A 2-meter-long unexploded bomb discovered in the Kiel Bay, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is presumed to have been dropped by the British army, which was part of the Allied forces during World War II. [Image source: Screenshot from Kiel Police X (formerly Twitter), Germany]

On the 26th (local time), NDR reported that the authorities in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, recently dismantled a 2-meter-long unexploded bomb found in Kiel Bay. The authorities first controlled nearby roads and ship traffic and evacuated about 1,600 residents. Then, using a crane, they lifted the bomb and removed the detonator at sea.

The bomb is estimated to be an HC4000 aerial bomb used by the British forces, who participated as part of the Allied powers during World War II. It weighs 4,000 pounds (approximately 1.8 tons). It is characterized by causing widespread damage through a pressure wave and was also called a "blockbuster." The bomb discovered this time is the largest unexploded bomb found in Schleswig-Holstein in recent decades. The media predicted that if this bomb had exploded, it would have caused damage within a 2 km radius. Kiel police reported that the bomb was successfully dismantled and said it would be moved to a storage facility.

This area, also known as the "Kiel Fjord" due to its coastal terrain, was home to German naval bases and shipyards during World War II. Because of this, it was heavily bombed by Allied air forces. Kiel authorities estimate that during 90 air raids, 44,000 high-explosive bombs, 900 mine bombs, and 500,000 incendiary bombs were dropped.

Previously, an HC4000 bomb was also found in Frankfurt, Europe's "financial capital," in September 2017. Since the area is densely populated with financial industry workers and houses a storage facility containing over 1,700 tons of gold, there were significant concerns about accidents during the dismantling process. At that time, about 70,000 residents and patients from two large hospitals were evacuated.