Italian Navy and Army neutralize WWII bombs in Ognina and Piaggine

In the early hours of 28 July 2026, the Italian Navy’s diver unit located a World War II‑era ordnance off the coast of Ognina, Sicily. After the port authority imposed a 150‑metre safety zone, the divers transferred the bomb to a depth of about 15 metres and detonated it, allowing normal maritime traffic to resume.

A few days later, on Monte Vivo near Piaggine in the Cilento area, a farmer who was clearing land for grazing uncovered a four‑kilogram WWII bomb. The discovery was reported to authorities, prompting the mayor Renato Pizzolante to coordinate a joint response involving local police, Carabinieri, civil‑protection volunteers, the Red Cross and the army’s 21st Genio Guastatori (Bomb‑Disposal) unit. The bomb was safely disarmed and exploded on site without incident, and the area was subsequently reopened to the public.