Exercise Deactivates Real Mines
A German World War II naval mine in the shallow sea between the island of Muhu and the mainland has been made safe by controlled detonation by the minesweeper EML Sakala and a team of divers.
It weighed 700 kg, about medium-sized as far as bottom mines go.
The Sakala team found the mine on August 7 four kilometers from Pivarootsi beach and at a depth of 16 meters using the Seafox mine disposal system.
The head of the Minesweepers Division Lt. Cmdr. Johan Elias Seljamaa said the bottom mine had been laid likely in 1944.
A mine clearance exercise is currently underway, running from August 1 to 11. The Navy is using a coastal mobile command point, instead of a staff and naval auxiliary vessel. In addition to the magnetic mine, three Russian contact mines have been found.
The Remus unmanned mine detection system team and one platoon from base defense company are also taking part in the exercise.
Kristopher Rikken