A fisherman made an unexpected discovery while out on his scallop boat. When he brought it to shore, they had to call the U.S. Navy.
On the morning of July 22, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, along with explosive disposal specialists from the U.S. Navy, were sent to the port in New Bedford after a fisherman on a scallop boat found something unexpected while out on the ocean: a potentially explosive weapon.
Scallops are clam-like mollusks that are typically harvested using dredges or trawls. These tools are designed to scrape the ocean floor, which is likely where the ordnance was found.
Officials have not revealed precisely where in the ocean the ordnance was found, but they have released a photo of the item after it was brought to shore.
The image of the rusty projectile was shared on Twitter by the Massachusetts State Police, with the caption:
“Troopers from MSP Bomb Squad assigned to @MassDFS and @USNavy EOD specialist are en route to New Bedford to examine this piece of ordnance recovered by a scallop boat and brought to shore. Update to come later.”
Troopers from MSP Bomb Squad assigned to @MassDFS and @USNavy EOD specialist are en route to New Bedford to examine this piece of ordnance recovered by a scallop boat and brought to shore. Update to come later. pic.twitter.com/l5Lro2xVZh
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) July 22, 2021
After both a visual inspection and an X-ray inspection, it was determined that the ordnance that the scallop fisherman found was a 57mm armor-piercing projectile. Officials then determined that the projectile did not pose an explosive hazard.
The weapon has been secured and will be turned over to the military at a later date.
The Massachusetts State Police confirmed these details in an update posted to their Twitter page. “Bomb Squad/Navy EOD determined, via visual and x-ray inspection, the ordnance is a 57mm armor piercing projectile that did not pose an explosive hazard. Projectile has been secured and will be turned over to military EOD at a later date,” they wrote.
UPDATE — Bomb Squad/Navy EOD determined, via visual and x-ray inspection, the ordnance is a 57mm armor piercing projectile that did not pose an explosive hazard. Projectile has been secured and will be turned over to military EOD at a later date. @MassDFS @USNavy @NewBedfordPD https://t.co/YnIEUfSzCN
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) July 22, 2021
