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Barcelona beach evacuated after discovery of unexploded Civil War bomb

Spanish police have released a video showing an explosive device found underwater which forced the evacuation of a beach in Barcelona on Sunday.

Barcelona beach evacuated after discovery of unexploded Civil War bomb
An image of the device discovered off one of Barcelona's most popular beaches. Photo: Guardia Civil/ Interior Ministry

The device is thought to date back 80 years to the Spanish Civil War.

The incendiary device measures 1.10 meters in length and and 80 centimeters in diameter and is reported to date from a 1936 bombardment ont he Catalan capital launched by the Italian air force on the orders of Mussolini who, like Hitler's Luftwaffe, came to the aid of Franco during the conflict. 

Police established a security perimeter of 250 meters around the device off the Sant Sebastia beach, one of Barcelona's most popular beaches.

Navy specialists began the operation to deactivate the device on Monday morning.

Officials said the closure of the area would remain in place until it is made safe.

The device, located at a depth of three metres, 25 metres from the shore, was found by an off-duty police diver who happened to be swimming in the area.

The bomb contained 70 kilogrammes (150 pounds) of trinitrotoluene, a “highly volatile” substance, forcing explosives experts to move it one nautical mile away at sea before detonating it, a spokeswoman for the Civil Guard police force said.

Using diving lifting bags, designed to move objects underwater, they eventually detonated the bomb at a depth of 45 metres (150 feet), she added.  

READ MORE: Drought reveals long lost 'Spanish Stonehenge' in Extremadura reservoir 

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ENVIRONMENT

Why has the expansion of Barcelona airport prompted mass protests?

Around 10,000 people demonstrated against the expansion of the El Prat airport in Barcelona on Sunday.

Why has the expansion of Barcelona airport prompted mass protests?
People march during a demonstration against the expansion of the Barcelona-El Prat airport. Photo: Pau BARRENA / AFP

Several ecological and agricultural organisations, have demanded that the expansion be stopped due to the fact nearby wetlands and farms would have to be destroyed.

The demonstration took place on Calle Tarragona in the Catalan capital between Plaça d’Espanya and Plaça dels Països Catalans.

The protests still took place, even though last week, Spain suspended the €1.7 billion airport expansion project, citing differences with the Catalan government, after president Pere Aragonès said he wanted to avoid destroying La Ricarda lagoon, a natural reserve next to the airport. 

Environmentalists decided not to call off the march, in case plans for the airport expansion still went ahead.

READ ALSO: Six things you need to know about Barcelona airport’s €1.7 billion planned expansion

Political representatives from ERC, En Comú Podem and the CUP also attended, as well as the leader of Más País, Íñigo Errejón; the Deputy Mayor for Ecology of the Barcelona City Council, Janet Sanz, and the Mayor of El Prat de Llobregat, Lluís Mijoler.

People from neighbourhoods across the city marched towards Calle Tarragona and could be seen holding placards that read Nature yes, airport no and shouting slogans such as “More courgettes and fewer planes” and “Fighting for the climate, health, and life”. 

One of the largest groups of people were those from El Prat de Llobregat, the municipality which is home to the airport, who were led by tractors. 

People march during a demonstration against the expansion of Barcelona-El Prat airport. Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP

In addition to protesting against the expansion of the El Prat airport, people were also demonstrating against the Winter Olympic Games in the Pyrenees and extensions to airports in Mallorca and Madrid. 

A representative of Zeroport, Sara Mingorría said “We are here to defend not only La Ricarda, but the entire Delta”. 

The philosopher Marina Garcés also argued that the expansion of the airport would mean “more borders, more mass tourism, more control and more precarious jobs.” 

The leader of the commons in the Catalan parliament, Jéssica Albiach, who also attended the protest, asked the PSOE for “coherence”: “You cannot be passing a law against climate change and, at the same time, defend the interests of Aena [the airport operations company]”, she said. 

She also urged the leader of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, to “definitely say no. 

If the airport expansion in Barcelona goes ahead, environmentalists say that CO2 emissions would rise by a minimum of 33 percent. These levels would surpass the limits set by the Catalan government’s climate targets.

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