Helensburgh Advertiser | News | Navy issue rebukes over explosives claims

Saturday, 17th May, 2008

Published: Sunday, 4th May, 2008 09:00

Navy issue rebukes over explosives claims

By Steve McElroy

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THE Royal Navy have issued a broadside over reports on the force of explosions held during an exercise.

Neil Smith, Head of Regional Media and Communication for the Royal Navy, played down the news that some blasts have charted on the Richter Scale.

He was responding to claims made over the use of explosives during the Joint Warrior manoeuvres taking place in the Clyde.

He said of the exercise, co-ordinated from Faslane: “Reports relating to the Joint Warrior training course where some explosions have been recorded on the Richter scale says more about how sensitive the British Geological Survey’s equipment is than the size of the actual explosions.

“I am disappointed by reports about Royal Navy activity that maintains both its operational capability and also its ability to support public safety notably in terms of bomb disposal.

“These particular explosions were caused by our mine clearance vessels removing objects from the seabed. Indeed, Royal Navy mine clearance experts safely deal with around 200 mines, bombs and torpedoes washed up on beaches in and around Scotland and the North of England each year. Anything under Richter Scale point of two — which these were — is regarded as ‘micro.’ There are around 8,000 such micro-earthquakes occurring each day. These are not felt, but are clearly measurable.

Mr Smith added: “To place this in further context, 0.5 on the Richter Scale is equivalent to a large hand grenade going off; 1.0 is equivalent to the noise from a construction site; 1.5 is the equivalent of a World War II bomb exploding. This is the order of the size of the explosions in this instance. To suggest otherwise is both unfortunate and misleading.”

Troops from around the globe take part in the combined UK and NATO forces exercise Joint Warrior, bi-annual operation which ends tomorrow (Friday).

More than 100 aircraft and warships from allied nations participate.

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