Helping NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) clear historic ordnance off the coast of France was the final task of the crew of Belgian minehunter BNS Primula before they headed home.
From October 20 to November 7, Belgians worked with their colleagues in French waters off the Normandy coast.
These waters were mined and bombed during WW II and many of that ordnance is still lying on the sea bottom. A large number of mine like objects have been discovered, investigated and identified. According to SNMCMG1, four unexploded WW II ordnance items – one air bomb and three German LMB ground mines have been found and destroyed.
Having joined SNMCMG1 in June this year, BNS Primula has now left the group and is expected to reach its home port of Zeebrugge on November 14.
SNMCMG1 is commanded by Latvian Navy Commander from aboard flagship LNS Virsaitis (A53), and is composed of German minehunter FGS Sulzbach-Rosenbach, the Norwegian KNM Rauma and Dutch HNLMS Makkum.