Orbetello: WWII bomb successfully neutralized and detonated

Specialists from the Reggimento Genio Ferrovieri di Castel Maggiore have successfully neutralized and detonated a 500-pound British aerial bomb discovered in Orbetello, Italy.

The unexploded ordnance was found on June 19 in the Fonteblanda area near the Aurelia state road during construction work for the Ciclovia Tirrenica. The bomb, containing approximately 147 kilograms of TNT, required a coordinated response involving the Prefecture of Grosseto and a local emergency coordination center.

To ensure public safety, approximately 50 residents were temporarily evacuated, and local road and rail traffic was suspended. The operation involved building a temporary protective structure at the site to mitigate potential blast effects. After the fuse was removed, the bomb was transported under escort to a quarry in Priorato, where it was safely detonated. Following the successful operation, rail service on the Rome-Pisa-Genoa line and road traffic on the Aurelia were restored.