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AMSTERDAM – NATO’s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group (SNMCMG1) successfully conducted the controlled detonation of a British World War II-era bomb off the coast of the Netherlands near Amsterdam, Feb. 7 neutralizing a significant maritime threat.

SNMCMG1, led by flagship Norwegian Navy HNOMS Nordkapp, was conducting historical mine countermeasures operations in the region when local fishermen spotted mine-like objects in the water and reported them to local authorities.

SNMCMG1 worked in close coordination with and in an area designated by local authorities and sent its team to investigate and assess. Four ships participated in the operation. Using remote operated vehicles and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) divers from German Navy FGS Rottweil, SNMCMG1 discovered 11 underwater objects. The main focus was a 230 kg British aerial bomb left from World War II. SNMCMG1 carried out a controlled detonation to dispose of the unexploded ordnance.

SNMCMG1 successfully conducted the controlled detonation of a British World War II-era bomb off the coast of the Netherlands near Amsterdam, neutralizing a significant maritime threat.