Two unexploded military shells believed to date back to World War II were successfully recovered from the seabed in the Bay of Porto Palermo during a specialized operation carried out by the Albanian Navy.
The operation was conducted by military divers from the Pashaliman Naval Base, in coordination with military engineering experts, naval personnel, civil emergency authorities, and representatives of the Municipality of Himarë.
Despite remaining underwater for more than 80 years and being located at a considerable depth, the shells were still considered potentially dangerous if activated. Following their recovery, the explosives were handed over to army specialists for safe disposal under controlled conditions.
The discovery highlights the continued presence of unexploded wartime ordnance across parts of the Balkans and Europe, where remnants of World War II are still occasionally found on land and underwater.
Porto Palermo, one of Albania’s most picturesque coastal bays, has a long military history due to its strategic location along the Ionian coast.
