- Title: Tourists surprised after explosive device found in water of Barcelona beach
- Date: 25th August 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (AUGUST 25, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EMPTY SANT SEBASTIA BEACH PEOPLE SUNBATHING AS ANNOUNCEMENT HEARD SAYING (English) "Swimming is forbidden" PEOPLE SUNBATHING AND POLICE BOAT AT SEA IN THE BACKGROUND POLICEMEN ON BOAT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SUNBATHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM FLORIDA, USA, NADIA (NO SURNAME GIVEN), SAYING: "Our first idea we thought we would be able to go in and swim and then we realised that the flags were red and we heard the announcement, so I just found out about the bomb. That was pretty shocking. We were thinking like flesh eating bacteria or like maybe someone who drowned, but I was not expecting a bomb from the Spanish Civil War. That was pretty surprising, pretty exciting for like the third day in Barcelona." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOURIST FROM ITALY, ANDREA, SAYING: "We came to the beach to have a normal swim, we got here and everything was closed and impossible to swim. At the beginning we couldn't understand what happened, if someone drowned or whatever. Then we saw on the phone there was a bomb or something like that and then we find out it is a bomb from the Civil War apparently and they will have to make it explode." PEOPLE SUNBATHING LIFEGUARDS LIFEGUARD TABLE MARKING PERIMETER, PEOPLE SUNBATHING IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SUNBATHING PEOPLE AT BEACH / SECURITY PERIMETER VARIOUS OF POLICE BOAT SAILING LOCAL POLICE VEHICLE PARKED AT BEACH, POLICE BOAT IN THE BACKGROUND POLICE BOAT POLICE DRIVING RED FLAG WAVING ON BEACH
- Embargoed: 8th September 2019 16:47
- Keywords: Spain Barcelona beach evacuated explosive device in water tourists police
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Sea Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATPUM2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tourists relaxing in one of Barcelona's most popular beaches were caught by surprise on Sunday (August 25) after an explosive device was discovered off Sant Sebastia beach.
Police evacuated the area and established a security perimeter of 250 metres (800 feet) around the device as holidaymakers watched on.
The device appeared to be old, possibly dating back some 80 years to the Spanish Civil War, the Civil Guard said.
Despite advice to stay away, hundreds of locals and tourists sunbathed on the nearby beaches, some expressing their shock at the discovery.
Navy specialists will arrive on Monday (August 26) to deactivate the device, which could date back to the 1936-1939 Civil War, the Civil Guard said, adding the closure would remain in place until the area is made safe.
The device, located at a depth of 3 metres (10 feet) and 25 metres (80 feet) from the shore, was found by an off-duty police diver who happened to be swimming in the area.
(Production: Jordi Rubio, Miguel Gutierrez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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