German unexploded bomb shuts down London City Airport

On 12th February, a 500kg unexploded bomb, dating back to WWII, was discovered during expansion works at London City Airport, causing significant disruption to passengers and operations. The bomb, buried under 15 metres of water in the George V Dock, was identified during planned construction dredging.

As a precautionary measure, the airport was immediately shut down while specialists assessed the threat. Reports indicate that 16,000 passengers were impacted due to cancelled or rerouted flights.

The Royal Navy EOD team was deployed to safely neutralise the device, with plans to detonate the bomb underwater overnight, allowing the airport to resume operations the following day.

The Blitz and UXO risks in the Royal Docks

London City Airport is located in the Royal Docks, an area that played a crucial role in Britain’s wartime economy. As one of the largest commercial dock complexes in the world at the time, the Royal Docks became a primary target for Luftwaffe bombers during the Blitz.

Recent 500kg unexploded bomb finds in the UK

The last time a German 500kg bomb was found underwater was during Portsmouth harbour dredging works in September 2017. Another WWII unexploded bomb of the same weight was encountered in 2016, buried just 1 metre beneath a disused playground at a junior school in Bath.

Why was this bomb still there?

Between September 1940 and May 1941, thousands of tonnes of bombs were dropped on East London, particularly around the docks.

Many bombs failed to detonate on impact, especially those that landed in water or soft ground.

At the time, immediate bomb disposal efforts focused on land-based threats, meaning submerged bombs were often left untouched.

Given this history, it is highly likely that additional unexploded bombs remain hidden beneath the surface, posing a continuous risk to construction and dredging projects.

How Brimstone UXO can help mitigate risks

For construction and infrastructure projects, UXO risk management is essential to prevent costly delays and safety hazards.

Brimstone UXO provides:

• Pre-construction UXO risk assessments – Identifying potential hazards before work begins.
• UXO surveys and detection – Using advanced technology to locate buried ordnance.
• On-site UXO support – Ensuring rapid response and safe handling of UXO finds.
• Controlled disposal operations – Minimising disruption and ensuring compliance with regulations.

Brimstone UXO is the UK’s only government-assured UXO company, delivering expert risk management and ordnance disposal services across a wide range of industries.

Need UXO support? Contact our team today to discuss your project requirements.

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