Royal Navy bomb experts blow up Sea Wolf missile off Brixham Harbour

Royal Navy bomb experts blow up Sea Wolf missile off Brixham Harbour after it was brought in by a fishing trawler

  • Witnesses described the emergency services including the Royal Navy’s bomb disposal unit racing to the scene at Brixham Harbour in Devon this morning
  • Experts were called in from Plymouth after fisherman found Sea Wolf missile
  • Device was taken out to sea where it was destroyed by the bomb disposal unit 


Bomb experts from the Royal Navy were called to detonate a Sea Wolf missile after it was brought into Brixham Harbour by a fishing trawler.

Witnesses described emergency services including the bomb disposal unit racing to the scene after fishermen discovered the explosive in Devon this morning.

The coastguard put a cordon in place while experts examined the device to determine what exactly it was and if it was dangerous.

The Royal Navy’s bomb disposal experts were called after a fisherman discovered he had hauled in a Sea Wolf missile on a trawler at Brixham Harbour in Devon earlier today (file photo)

Pictured: Sea Wolf defence system was designed as a short-range defence against missiles

Pictured: Sea Wolf defence system was designed as a short-range defence against missiles

What is the Sea Wolf missile point-defence system?

The Sea Wolf defence system was accepted into use in 1979 and was widely considered the best point-defence system of its time.

It was initially fitted to the Type 22 and some modified Leander frigates and was combat tested during the Falklands war. 

It is an automated point-defence weapon system designed as a short-range defence against both sea-skimming and high angle anti-ship missiles.

During the Falklands War, the system was equipped to three Type 22 frigates which were assigned ‘goalkeeper’ duties, to provide close anti-aircraft defence of the carrier task force. 

Royal Navy officers established it was a Sea Wolf missile – a naval surface-to-air missile system designed as a short-range defence against both sea-skimming and high angle anti-ship missiles and aircraft.

The device was taken 14 metres into the sea where it was destroyed with explosives by the Navy’s bomb disposal unit.

A naval spokesman at the scene told DevonLive: ‘A fisherman brought in what he thought was an old Sea Wolf rocket.

‘He wasn’t sure of its full type at the time. About 9am that came in to Brixham Harbour.

‘Police phoned us up, we went up, identified it as a Sea Wolf rocket motor, so low explosive content, and the safest option to us was to take it out to sea and detonate it out at sea.’

The coastguard put a cordon in place and warned local fishermen of the operation prior to the detonation.

The Navy’s team took the device, which was a Sea Wolf motor and reportedly of low explosive risk, out to sea and attached their own explosives to the device.

It was then lowered to the seabed where the explosives were detonated and the device was made safe.

Witnesses described hearing a pop as the device was destroyed. 

The experts, who were brought in from Plymouth, then left the scene.