Big bang in the Bay

MEERENSEE was rocked by two heavy blasts late Thursday afternoon as explosives experts detonated two devices recovered from a World War 2 aircraft grave site at the Richards Bay Country Club.

The discoveries were made during a clean-up of areas next to Lake Mzingazi, where record low water levels have exposed debris from the RAF Catalina base established in 1944.

Workers found a small bomb-shaped missile and a large torpedo-like object, as well as lengths of huge chains that were used to hold the flying planes in place at the jetty.

The Zululand Observer was notified that the items had been found and were being taken to a scrap metal dealer and ‘stopped the bus’ by calling the SAP Explosions Section, realising that the objects were potentially dangerous.

The area was immediately cordoned off and when the crack unit arrived on the scene an inspection determined that the smaller object was a 4.5kg bomb and the larger appeared to be a gas cylinder.

It was decided to detonate both items close to the lake’s edge and the resultant blast from the bomb indicated that it had indeed been ‘live’, despite having been under water for about 70 years.

Residents at the Mzingazi Golf Estate poured out of their homes after hearing the blast, in time to see the second explosion.

Police authorities warn that war artefacts are not ‘collectables’, and should not be handled.

‘Rather report any such finding to the police and we will take the proper measures to ensure their safe disposal,’ said Captain Gawie Joubert.

‘As this incident shows, these are extremely dangerous and should not be handled by amateurs.’

According to local historian Dr JC van der Walt, the low-flying Catalina flying craft were deployed in response to five Japanese U-boats that prowled the east coast during the war.

‘Well armed and with a massive range, the twin-engine aluminium seaplane could spend 22 hours aloft.

‘I have written a number of fascinating stories about the Catalina base and it looks like I must add another chapter.’