Gourock Homes To Be Evacuated As Experts Remove Unexploded Sea Mine
An unexploded sea mine will be removed and deactivated, prompting the evacuation of a number of properties.
Explosives experts confirmed the location of the device off the coast of Gourock, Inverclyde, near a swimming pool, on Monday.
The unexploded ordnance device is thought to be a sea mine dating from either the 1940s or 1950s.
It is to be deactivated on Thursday, meaning a number of residents living within 200 metres will need to be moved out and a respite centre will be available at Clydeview Academy.
Police have issued safety advice to residents who live within 500 metres and an exclusion zone at sea of around 1,000 metres will also be set up.
Chief Inspector Elliot Brown said: I must stress that this evacuation is a precautionary measure, and that there is no immediate danger posed to the community of Gourock.
I understand the disruption that this might cause some local residents however, we are working with our partners to ensure that this disruption is kept to the absolute minimum.
Safety is our priority above all else, and this is why the decision to evacuate some residents has been taken.''
Lieutenant Commander Tim Castrinoyannakis, officer in charge of the Royal Navy's Northern Diving Unit, said: Due to the deterioration of the mine it is not possible to conclude how much explosive material it still contains, therefore for the safety of the public we have decided to move it to a safer place and destroy it in situ.
We have been working closely with the local authorities throughout and would like to thank the community for their patience.''