Naval mine washes ashore on South Florida beach

LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. – A naval mine washed ashore in Broward County early Sunday morning on a stretch of beach where people usually arrive to relax with umbrellas and beach chairs.

According to BSO, a deputy on patrol discovered the “possible military explosive training device” at approximately 2:30 a.m. Sunday at Pine Avenue.

Naval mines are used in the ocean as an explosive device to damage surface shifts or submarines.

The word “inert” was written on the mine, which meant it could be a dummy mine used in training, but a military source said that that doesn’t rule out that it wasn’t active.

The United States Air Force was contacted by BSO and responded to examine the mine, and a BSO bomb squad was called to the scene.

The mine was eventually dug from the sand, hauled off the beach, strapped to a trailer and driven away.

The device is now in the custody U.S. Air Force for further examination and investigation.