this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2024
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Aviation

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[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Heheh don't look of the coast of England, there's not a partially submerged ammo ship full of uxo in a shipping lane that inches ever closer to exploding day by day as stabilizer leaches out.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Richard_Montgomery

According to a survey conducted in 2000 by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency,[5]: 2000 survey, p21–22  the wreck still held munitions containing approximately 1,400 tonnes (1,500 short tons) of TNT high explosive.[5]: 2000 survey, p21–22  This comprises the following items of ordnance:

286 × 2,000 lb (910 kg) high explosive bombs

4,439 × 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs of various types

1,925 × 500 lb (230 kg) bombs

2,815 fragmentation bombs and bomb clusters

Various explosive booster charges

Various smoke bombs, including white phosphorus bombs

Various pyrotechnic signals

According to a BBC News report in 1970,[12] it was determined that if the wreck of Richard Montgomery exploded, it would throw a 300 metres (980 feet)-wide column of water and debris nearly 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) into the air and generate a wave 5 metres (16 feet) high. Almost every window in Sheerness (population circa 20,000) would be broken and buildings would be damaged by the blast. News reports in May 2012 however, including one by BBC Kent, stated that the wave could be about one metre (3.3 feet) high, which although lower than previous estimates would be enough to cause flooding in some coastal settlements.[13][b]

[–] cows_are_underrated 2 points 1 month ago

Damn, that's quite fucked up. Also they fear to remove the explosives because they fear that even the slightest movement could detonate everything.