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Maine lobsterman "catches" a 150lb missile
A Maine lobsterman made a surprising discovery while checking his traps offshore on Monday. Captain Cameron Pease, whose lobster boat is based out of Cushing, Maine, found a 5-foot military rocket tangled in his trawling rope about 20 miles off the coast of the Pine Tree State.
A Maine lobsterman made a surprising discovery while checking his traps offshore on Monday. Captain Cameron Pease, whose lobster boat is based out of Cushing, Maine, found a 5-foot military rocket tangled in his trawling rope about 20 miles off the coast of the Pine Tree State.
Upon closer inspection, Captain Pease discovered that the 150-pound missile had sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean before getting caught in his fishing gear. He immediately brought the missile back to shore and contacted authorities the following day, according to local ABC affiliate WMTW.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="da" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/cmKjGOeJDw">https://t.co/cmKjGOeJDw</a>..., (April 14, 2023; 5:02 HKT) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAINE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MAINE</a></p>— ActivistBowen: #PFIZER X 4 (@ActivistBowen2) <a href="https://twitter.com/ActivistBowen2/status/1646634196163784704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Maine State Police Bomb Squad later identified the missile as an MK29 Mod-0, a type of missile associated with sea-based launching systems. They revealed that there were three to five pounds of explosives in the tip of the missile, which still could have gone off.
It is currently unclear how the missile ended up in the waters off the coast of Maine. However, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has reported that several ships associated with the United States Armed Forces can carry the MK29 missile launching system, including Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Ticonderoga-class cruiser, and Zumwalt-class destroyers.
The discovery of the missile has raised concerns about the safety of fishing in the region. Authorities are urging fishermen and other users of the sea to remain vigilant and report any suspicious findings immediately.
The Maine Department of Marine Resources has launched an investigation into the incident, and authorities are working to determine how the missile ended up in the waters off the coast of Maine. The Maine State Police Bomb Squad used additional explosives to safely blow up the missile, with guidance from Navy EOD Mobile Unit 12.
“Due to its condition, the decision was made to countercharge the item with the guidance from Navy EOD Mobile Unit 12,” the Maine State Police said in a press release. “The item was rendered safe and disposed of properly.”
The discovery of the missile has highlighted the potential dangers of unexploded ordnance in the waters. The Maine lobsterman has urged other fishermen to be vigilant and to report any suspicious findings they may encounter while out at sea. It is essential that authorities take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all those who use the waters off the coast of Maine.
