Polish Navy detonates largest unexploded WWII-era bomb in country's history

WWII bomb detonated in Polish canal

Poznań University of Technology / 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla via Storyful

Świnoujście, Poland - The largest unexploded World War II bomb ever found in Poland was detonated by remote control near Świnoujście, a northwestern port city, on October 13, the Polish Navy said.

The navy reported that the bomb was found during preparatory work before deepening the Szczecin-Świnoujście fairway, and it was embedded at a depth of 12 meters with only its nose sticking out from the canal floor.

Largest unexploded WWII-era bomb in Polish history detonated in canal - Poznań University of Technology / 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla via Storyful

The bomb was reported as a British ‘Tallboy,’ which was one of the largest bombs dropped during the war.

It contained about 5,300 pounds of Torpex explosive, equivalent to 8,000 pounds of TNT, the Polish Navy said.

Largest unexploded WWII-era bomb in Polish history detonated in canal - Poznań University of Technology / 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla via Storyful

Officials said this was the first time anyone had attempted to neutralize a Tallboy.

Naval forces said they used a remote-control device to try to “deflagrate” the bomb – a heating process that burns the explosive charge. They added that detonation was one of the expected possible outcomes.