Clyde-based HMS Pembroke tackles mines in the Baltic

The crew of a mine hunter based at Faslane have been tackling unexploded devices from World War Two in the Baltic Sea.

HMS Pembroke recently participated in a major NATO exercise, helping to keep sea lanes safe and secure.

Working as part of Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 1 Pembroke helped locate and dispose of some 18 items of wartime ordnance during the operation in the Baltic Sea from May 16 to 27.

The Royal Navy Sandown Class mine hunter worked as part of a task group which consisted of 14 NATO and partner nations, including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

Operating off the coast of Lithuania, in total the team covered 54 square nautical miles – around 185 square kilometres – of seabed, scanning and identifying some 912 objects.

Eighteen of those – 15 mines and three torpedoes – turned out to be explosive ordnance and were tackled by the task group. On top of that, the scanning also identified parts from two rockets, 34 mine chairs, three exercise mines and the wrecks of three ships!

The mine clearance mission, known as Exercise Open Spirit, has been running in the region each year since 1997.

It is estimated that over 16,000 mines were laid in the area over the two world wars and so tackling the maritime threat in Lithuania’s territorial waters is vitally important.

During the exercise HMS Pembroke used her sonar to locate a Russian First World War mine in the approaches to Klaipeda harbour.

The ship then deployed a remote underwater vehicle to dive down to positively identify the object, before divers took to the water to get rid of the 100-year-old mine.

Commanding Officer of HMS Pembroke, Lieutenant Commander Jim Lovell, said: “For six of Pembroke’s crew this was their first deployment and the opportunity to work as part of NATO in the Baltic region is not something which many on board have experienced before.

“The disposal of mines off the Lithuanian coast over the two weeks helps ensure the safety and security of all those who rely on the sea. It was a good result for HMS Pembroke and demonstrates the unique capability that mine hunters provide for the Royal Navy and NATO.”