- by croatiaweek
- October 26, 2025
-
in
News
(Photo: PU Istarska)
A complex police operation to safely remove and destroy a World War II aircraft bomb discovered on 15 October in Veli Vrh, near Pula, was successfully completed today without incident.
The operation began at 8 a.m. with alerts sent via the national early warning system and public sirens.
Residents within a 250-metre radius, the so-called red zone, were evacuated, while road, sea, and air traffic were suspended around the wider safety area to ensure full security during the procedure.
Emergency teams confirmed that all residents had left the area before police sealed the perimeter.
“Citizens evacuated independently, and there was no need to use the Mate Parlov Centre as a shelter,” said Ivica Rojnić, head of Pula’s Civil Protection Headquarters. “A few people required assistance, but everything went smoothly.”
(Photo: PU Istarska)
The bomb, a British-made GP 500 lb MkIV from World War II, measured around one metre in length and contained approximately 69 kilograms of TNT.
The delicate task of removing the bomb’s fuse was undertaken by Tomislav Vukoja, head of the Police Directorate’s Bomb Disposal Service, and instructor Zdravko Delač from the Rijeka regional unit. Within five minutes, they successfully neutralised the device.
(Photo: PU Istarska)
Once defused, the 220-kilogram bomb was transported under police escort to the former Marlera military range near Ližnjan, where it was destroyed in a controlled explosion.
(Photo: PU Istarska)
“Everything went according to plan,” said Vukoja. “The fuse was difficult to remove, but the procedure was safely completed.”
(Photo: PU Istarska)
The operation involved multiple branches of the police, including traffic, maritime, and airport units, along with Pula’s emergency services, firefighters, ambulance teams, and the Red Cross.
VIDEO: You can see the successful operation of the bomb being destroyed here
The Istria Police Department thanked residents for their cooperation and reminded the public not to touch or move suspicious objects resembling explosives.
Anyone finding such items should immediately contact police on 192, as unexploded ordnance from past conflicts is still occasionally discovered across Croatia.
