The Spanish Navy has neutralised a Spanish Civil War artillery shell discovered on Albarana beach in Denia, in the province of Alicante. The operation followed the discovery of the device by Guardia Civil divers from the GEAS unit during routine underwater training exercises.

After the find was reported, naval authorities activated a specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the Navy’s Mine Countermeasures Diving Unit. The team travelled to the site and prepared the shell for neutralisation using specialised explosive charges.

A controlled detonation was carried out in situ at around 15:20, approximately six hours after the unit was activated. The blast successfully destroyed the projectile, removing any risk to public safety while keeping environmental impact to a minimum. A final inspection dive confirmed the area was safe, allowing security measures to be lifted.

The operation was coordinated by the Naval Command of Alicante with support from local emergency services, including Denia Local Police, National Police, the Guardia Civil and its maritime service, the Red Cross, and regional emergency medical teams. The Spanish Navy is responsible nationwide for dealing with underwater explosive devices dating from past conflicts.