Oglas

The man found the 250 kilogram American World War II aerial bomb on a slope, approximately 50 metres in front of the castle wall. He found it using a metal detector while playing treasure hunting with children. He unearthed it and took it by truck to the courtyard of his house, located below the castle and near the church. It was only then that he informed the police.

He contacted the emergency call centre after one day and members of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief came to the site. According to Igor Boh, the representative of the unit for protection against unexploded ordnance, they soon established that the situation was hazardous: ‘The man was indeed very lucky considering the bomb's type. It could well have ended badly. /…/ The bomb was dislocated from the spot where it had been dropped during the bombing and it was handled in an inappropriate manner. This could have caused changes within the bomb, which could have resulted in an uncontrolled explosion,’ stressed Boh.

The technology of deactivation is still being considered. It is impossible to foresee what the damage during the bomb's deactivation may be. What is more, this is the first time this type of bomb has been found in Slovenia. The bomb has a chemical fuse mechanism and accidents and injuries of experts working on it have occurred in similar cases abroad.

The day and detailed evacuation procedures will be announced at a later date.

Danijel Poslek, Radio Slovenija; B. R., G. C., translated by A. L.