Scapa Flow Torpedo disposal proves difficult

The detonation of a World War Two torpedo on the seabed in Scapa Flow didn’t quite go as planned this morning.

A charge, set by the bomb disposal unit from Royal Navy’s Northern Diving Group, was supposed to set the explosives off but only succeeded in dislodging the drum which houses the 300 kg of explosives from the torpedo. The drum then floated to the surface of the water.

A spokesman from the bomb disposal unit said that the reason the explosives may not have gone off is that they have become “desensitized” with age and degradation.

It is also believed that there may now be more left to salvage of the torpedo than if the explosives had gone off as planned.

The bomb disposal team are now preparing to set the explosives off in Scapa Flow this evening.