More and more army unexploded ordnance found in hiking regions
Keystone-SDA
More and more unexploded ordnance is being defused in Switzerland. Thanks to over a thousand tips from the public, the army neutralised 273 such munitions last year, 26% more than the long-term average.
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In a statement on Monday, the army emphasised the importance of vigilance and considered action when ammunition is found, particularly in hiking and leisure regions. Many reports were received from cantons Bern, Graubünden and Valais in particular. These cantons are not only popular hiking areas, but also military training areas.
In addition to unexploded ordnance, old pieces of ammunition and other remains were also disposed of by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Mine Clearance Command.
+ Public asked how to recover dumped munitions in Swiss lakes
With the growing popularity of outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing or magnet fishing, the risk of coming across unexploded ordnance or old ammunition remains is also increasing.
Magnet fishing in particular harbours considerable dangers, as ammunition objects can be accidentally retrieved from bodies of water. Despite their age, these could still be highly dangerous and must not be moved or even taken away under any circumstances, warned the army.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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