THIS WEEK IN 1970: Rusting torpedo nearly killed divers

Souvenir-hunting underwater swimmers had been dicing with death off Hayling Island.

By The Newsroom
Friday, 17th August 2018, 12:22 pm
Updated Sunday, 2nd September 2018, 10:08 pm

Many sub aqua divers had been collecting war relics from the wreck of the German U-boat, which sank in 1920. But naval experts were called in to blow up the 500lb torpedo '“ lodged for half a century in the rusting torpedo tube. 

And naval experts revealed that the warhead had been squeezed open, exposing the explosive. 

A naval spokesman said: '˜There may be a detonator present which means it could go off with the turbulence caused by rough weather.'

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Sub Aqua Club member Alexander McKee said: '˜Divers have been banging for souvenirs.

'˜But then we found out about the torpedo. This size of explosive could kill every diver in the water if it went off.'Â