After the wartime device laid down by a German submarine off the island of Ailsa Craig was recovered, the Northern Diving Group unit based at Faslane, went into action.

The seven crew of the trawler were rescued by the RNLI Troon Lifeboat and the Rothesay Coastguard Rescue Team, and the vessel sailed to meet EOD divers at Ettrick Bay on the Isle of Bute. They declared the mine to be in pristine condition and agreed the best option was a controlled detonation at sea.

“Considering it had been in the water for around 80 years, the mine’s condition was remarkable. From the initial pictures we were able to easily identify the mine type and, importantly, determine that the explosive fill was intact and therefore presented a significant hazard. The vessel was diverted to Ettrick Bay and met by my team, led by Petty Officer (Diver) Robert McCann who safely dealt with the situation," said Lieutenant Commander Mark Shaw, Commanding Officer of Northern Diving Group.

Maritime Business World