World News – UA – Unsuspecting fisherman discovers unexploded bomb on Australian reef

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A 45kg unexploded bomb was carefully removed from a coral reef off the coast of Australia, with Defense personnel admitting it could have posed « a significant risk to the general public »

45kg unexploded bomb towed into deep water after being found off the NSW coast

The weapon was found by an unsuspecting fisherman on Elizabeth Reef on Lord Howe Island, with Defense personnel admitting the object could have posed « a significant risk to the general public »

The local fisherman was visiting the reef, about 550 miles off NSW, with his wife and photographed his find and reported it to authorities

Navy divers aboard HMAS Adelaide carefully removed the abandoned explosive by floating it to the surface and towing it further out to sea where it was dropped in waters 550 meters deep

« This depth is really safe It will never be returned to the reef, » said John Pritchard, senior marine parks officer

The origin of the bomb is not known and divers could not estimate its age due to the deterioration, a spokesperson for Environment Minister Sussan Ley told AAP

Bombs of this size were used as early as World War I, sometimes dropped from aircraft to target submarines

The minister’s spokesman said it was a « long operation » between the initial discovery of the bomb and its recovery, during which the reef was closed to visitors

Ms Ley said fishermen and navy divers have potentially saved lives and one of Australia’s most important reefs

« The device was considered alive by the Navy and the consequences could have been quite frightening, » she said in a statement on Sunday.

Elizabeth Reef is located approximately 160 km north of World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island and stretches 82 km by 55 km

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Australia unexploded ordnance, Royal Australian Navy, Elizabeth Reef, Lord Howe Island