Belgian Navy’s Tripartite-class minehunter M924 Primula detected what it classified as a potential mine in the Gootebank area, about 14 nautical miles off the coast, February 25.
The Navy ship thereafter used its Seafox-I ROV (remotely operated vehicle) and identified the sonar contact as a German LMB mine from World War II, which was estimated to have about one ton of explosive charge.
The ship’s diving team subsequently detonated the mine using explosive charges.
The LMB was a parachute non-contact mine used by the German forces in two modules. At 1.000 kg of explosive charge, the LMB (Luftmine B) the Belgian Navy found is lighter than the LMA (Luftmine A) which carried 1500 kg of explosive charge.
M924 Primula is one of six minesweepers of the Belgian Navy. It was launched on December 20, 1990 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde, Belgium and christened on June 12, 1991.