Sinn Féin MLA Chris Hazzard has called on the British Ministry of Defence to take steps immediately to secure munitions it dumped in the Irish Sea before someone is killed or seriously injured.
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Chris Hazzard, Sinn Féin MLA for South Down.[/caption]
The South Down MLA said: “I’m calling on the British Ministry of Defence to take steps immediately to secure and safely dispose of the munitions it dumped in the Irish Sea between the 1950’s and 1970’s.
“There have been more than 50 incidents since 2010 alone where munitions including mortars have been washed up on local beaches, including Newcastle which attracts thousands of tourists annually. “Fortunately to date these munitions have been dealt with safely and no one has been injured. “However, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Unless the British Ministry of Defence secures these munitions but they will continue to pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of the people who live and work on our shores, including our local fishermen.”It is understood that munitions were dropped into the Beaufort Dyke, the deep trench between Scotland and Northern Ireland in the Irish Sea, but have since spread with the effects of tides and currents.
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