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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]

4 clusters · 11 sources · 44 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: CRIME

Italy WWII unexploded ordnance disposal

Entities: Ognina · 21st Genio Guastatori · Italian Navy · Piaggine · Renato Pizzolante

Overview

The coordinated Italian campaign to locate and neutralise World War II explosive remnants continued into late July 2026. After the 250‑lb aerial bomb discovered in Laureana di Borrello was safely disarmed and detonated on 19 July, Navy divers in the early hours of 28 July located a WWII‑era bomb off the coast of Ognina, Sicily. A 150‑metre safety zone was imposed and the device was transferred to a depth of about 15 metres before a controlled underwater detonation, allowing maritime traffic to resume.

A few days later, a farmer clearing land near Piaggine in the Cilento area uncovered a four‑kilogram WWII bomb. The mayor, local police, Carabinieri, civil‑protection volunteers, the Red Cross and the army’s 21st Genio Guastatori unit jointly secured the site, safely disarmed the ordnance and carried out an on‑site explosion. These incidents, together with earlier findings in Rivello, Formia and other locations, illustrate the ongoing multi‑agency effort—Carabinieri, army engineers, navy divers, civil‑protection and local authorities—to protect coastal and inland communities from historic ordnance hazards across Italy.

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Italian Navy and Army neutralize WWII bombs in Ognina and Piaggine

    The Italian Navy detonated a WWII bomb off Ognina while the army’s 21st Genio Guastatori unit safely cleared a similar bomb on Monte Vivo near Piaggine; both operations ended without incident.

  2. 13 days ago

    [CRIME] 5 sources
    Italian Army safely disposes WWII bomb in Laureana di Borrello

    A WWII bomb found in Laureana di Borrello was safely disarmed and detonated by Italy's 21st Engineer Regiment on 19 July, with road closures and evacuations coordinated by local authorities.

  3. 20 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Italy finds ten WWII bombs under Rome‑Naples railway line

    Ten unexploded WWII bombs weighing about 500 kg were found under the Rome‑Naples railway near Formia, Italy, prompting a night‑long closure and removal by army engineers with no injuries reported.

  4. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    WWII grenade discovered in Rivello, Italy; bomb squad safely removes device

    A WWII artillery grenade found during plowing in Rivello, Italy was safely removed and detonated by Carabinieri bomb experts, with no injuries or damage.

Sources

calabriareportage.it · canaledieci.it · expartibus.it · freepressonline.it · ilcittadinomb.it · ildispaccio.it · news.yam.md · ondanews.it · potenzanews.net · ufficiostampabasilicata.it · veritasnews24.it