Bomb squad called in after archaeologists unearth explosive device on a beach in Marbella

The bomb squad was called in after an explosive device, presumably from the Spanish Civil War, was discovered on a beach in Marbella.

Specialists safely removed the artefact from Guadalmina beach after it was found by archaeologists who were carrying out a survey on a house located near Marbella's Roman baths on Tuesday afternoon.

The archaeologists were about to study the surroundings of an exterior wall of a house that was damaged by a storm last year when they made the discovery at about 2pm.

"We found an unexploded projectile and we called the National Police who came to assess it and activated the protocol," archaeologist Miguel Vila told SUR.

"They called in the Tedax bomb squad, who came from Malaga and safely removed it. We don't know whether or not they will detonate it in a controlled manner. We are now carrying out preventive archaeological probes in the area," he added.

The perimeter wall of the house next to the baths fell down a year and a half ago in a storm, and since then the owner has been trying to repair it by making arrangements with the administration.

One of the issues raised by the administration is a prior archaeological survey to find out whether or not the repair of the wall affects archaeological remains. "At the moment, nothing was coming out until we found the projectile," he said.

Vila specified that it was a 40-centimetre artefact that "was very rusty", so he does not rule out the possibility that it could have been in the sea and that it had been carried by the current. Although it had never happened to him before, he understands that the appearance of projectiles is something "recurrent" and believes that this one may date back to the Spanish Civil War, although he could not confirm this.

"Where it is common to find these types of bombs on the beach is in the area from Malaga towards Almeria as a result of the bombardment of the civilian population during La Desbandá," Vila said.