Koksijde Beach was the scene of intense fighting during the Second World War. Ahead of the tourist season the Maritime Coastal Agency asked DOVO, the army bomb squad to carry out excavations of the beach of the popular west coast seaside resort in order to track down explosives that could pose a danger to bathers and holidaymakers alike. And with success on three consecutive days last week DOVO carried out controlled explosions on the beach.
On all three occasions big explosive devices had been found. On Wednesday diggers found a bomb dropped from an airplane during the conflict still containing 100 kilos of explosives. The device was detonated by the sea. On Thursday diggers encountered a bomb measuring one metre in length. Experts soon made it and the beach safe!
“This was ammunition originating from a French anti-submarine vessel. We were able to make the device safe on the spot, but that’s not always the case. It depends on the circumstances” DOVO says.
Last year DOVO was called out on over 3,500 occasions to deal with explosives. There’s a relatively big chance more explosives will be found on the beach. “When we explode a device on the beach, we clear up the big pieces of metal ourselves. The rest disappears with the tide. If you find an explosive device, always call the police. Don’t touch and keep your distance” DOVO says.