Emergency services / Controlled explosion expected at Scatsta later today
OFFICERS from a Royal Navy bomb disposal team will carry out a controlled explosion of a war time bomb found at Scatsta airport at 1pm today (Saturday).
A 1,300 metre wide safety cordon has been established and the B9076 road continues to be closed.
The bomb disposal team from the Northern Diving Group based at HM Naval Base Clyde arrived in Shetland on Saturday morning.
A spokesman for the Royal Navy said a controlled explosion was planned for 1pm.
Police said there was no risk to the public but asked people to avoid the immediate area – “around two miles” – while the controlled explosion takes place.
The wartime bomb at the former RAF airfield was found by contractors employed by Scottish Water to scan the area ahead of laying new water mains.
Around 25 years ago Royal Engineers spent time in Shetland to remove wartime bombs from Scatsta after it emerged that the runway of the former RAF airport was rigged with bombs ready to be detonated in case of a German invasion.
The controlled explosion is expected to create a significant crater and disrupt broadband services provided by Shetland Broadband for up to 24 hours.
Scatsta airport closed at the end of June this year after having served the oil and gas industry since the 1990s.
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