Words by

Jóhannes Bjarkason

Photo by

Art Bicnick/The Reykjavík Grapevine

A naval mine weighing 145 kilograms was detonated in Eyjafjörður in North Iceland on January 8, RÚV reports. 

The mine was discovered when snagged by a trawler’s net on January 7 and brought to Akureyri. Upon initial inspection, the trawler’s shipmates believed it to be an old iron barrel, according to Samherji — Iceland’s largest fishing company, which is headquartered in Akureyri. 

When the item was confirmed to be a mine, police closed off the harbour area and evacuated the nearby fish processing plant. 

The Icelandic Coast Guard’s demolition experts arrived in Akureyri later that day and moved the mine out into the ocean, where it was detonated, just off Svalbarðseyri.