World War II ordnance in the Thames being transported to disposal area

The World War II ordnance found in the River Thames at King George V Dock, E16, in the early hours of Sunday, 11 February is now in the process of being transported to a secure area for disposal.

At approximately 18:00hrs on Monday, 12 February, the device was removed from its original position and taken to a secondary location within the dock.

A new exclusion zone was implemented and residents within this area were asked, from early evening, to evacuate to temporary emergency accommodation which was provided by the local council. All of these residents can now return home.

The transportation of the device – confirmed by Met and Royal Navy dive teams as a 500kg tapered end shell measuring approximately 1.5m – will impact on river traffic and motorists are advised that bridges along the route will be temporarily closed to traffic.

While every effort is being made to progress the operation as quickly as possible, it is important that all of the necessary steps and precautions are taken to ensure it is dealt with safely.

We would again like to thank everyone affected for their patience and cooperation.