Unexploded WWII Mine Found Floating Near German Offshore Wind Farm

File photo shows the Gode Wind 2 offshore wind farm. Photo credit: Dong Energy

An unexploded mine believed to be from WWII has been found floating near an offshore wind farm in the North Sea off Germany.

Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said the mine was found Tuesday morning by a security vessel at the edge of the Gode Wind 2 offshore wind farm in Germany. The mine has been taken under tow by the multi-purpose ship Mellum, the agency said.

The mine will be towed to shore where it is expected to be detonated on a sandbank of the River Jade Wednesday morning. The plan to detonate the mine at sea was cancelled due to weather conditions, the Command for Maritime Emergencies said.

An initial examination of the mine determined that it likely dates back to the Second World War.

The Gode Wind 2 offshore wind farm consists of 42 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 252 megawatts, enough to power approximately 260,000 households per year. Dong Energy holds 50% stake in the wind farm, while the other 50% is owned by a consortium made up of four Danish pension funds.

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