World War II explosive device found by fishing boat

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WJAR) – A fishing boat off the coast of Rhode Island made a surprising and historical discovery.

Captain Glenn Wescott said he usually pulls up fish in the Ocean State, but a catch made on Tuesday involved something unusual: a relic from World War II.

“It’s not something that happens every day,” he said.

Wescott said his crew dredged up the mysterious object roughly four nautical miles east of Black Island.

“They saw it going down the net and they were suspicious of something,” he said.

The Navy Region Mid Atlantic said the object is a depth charge. The charge weighed 520 pounds and contained 267 pounds of TNT.

“It was scary having it on the boat that long,” Wescott said.

Wescott called the Coast Guard after the discovery, and a team came to pick him and his crew up and get them to a safe area.

The Navy’s explosive ordinance mobile unit out of Newport’s took care of the device.

Video captured the charge being lifted off the boat.

The charge was detonated safely Wednesday morning about a mile offshore. Despite the distance, the impact could still be felt.

“A popping suction sound,” Wescott said. “It was like somebody wrapped up like a big hammer against the side of the boat.”

This is not the first time fishermen in the area have pulled in some unusual objects.

A few others said they have occasionally caught body parts and mysterious helmets.