A huge arsenal of World War II explosives have been found on a beach in southern France.
The WWII arsenal, including shells and mines, was found at Messanges Beach in the commune of Messanges in the south-western French department of Landes on 30th September.
According to French newspaper Sud Ouest, bomb experts went to the site on 1st October.
Jean Lamoliate, head of technical services at the Messanges town hall, told Newsflash that an order has been issued forbidding access to the southernmost part of the beach until further notice, and markers have been set up around the perimeter.
At the scene, specialists found five crates containing 100-kilogramme shells.
Lamoliate told Newsflash that a total of 500 kilogrammes of shells and nine boxes with anti-tank mines and other explosives were found.
According to France Bleu, the entire arsenal was defused on Thursday morning, but explosives experts will return in a few days to carry out final checks when the storm warning has been lifted.
In April, a massive American World War II bomb weighing nearly a tonne was found on a construction site near the port of Saint-Nazaire in the western French department of Loire-Atlantique.
On 9th November 1942, an Allied bombing raid in the area resulted in the death of 163 shipyard workers and apprentices just a few hundred metres from where the bomb was discovered.
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Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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