by InTrieste
An unexploded bomb from World War II, unearthed during excavation work at the city’s port, will remain secured on site for the next two weeks as authorities prepare for its removal and neutralization.
The 500-pound (about 226-kilogram) device, identified as a U.S. aerial bomb, was uncovered on Thursday morning near Magazzino 57 along Viale Campi Elisi, where construction is underway to modernize the railway yard of the Punto Franco Nuovo. Contrary to early reports that the bomb had already been defused, officials confirmed that it has only been secured to prevent accidental detonation.
The operation to disarm and dispose of the bomb — referred to locally as “bomba day” — will be carried out by specialists from the Pozzuolo del Friuli Brigade. The process involves removing the fuses before transferring the ordnance to another location for a controlled detonation. A precise date has not yet been set, but officials said the work will likely take place between late September and early October, most likely over a weekend to minimize disruptions from necessary road closures and building evacuations.
The Trieste Prefecture will coordinate the operation, which involves multiple agencies, including the Port Authority, Fire Brigade, Coast Guard, Guardia di Finanza, and the Border Police. For now, the bomb remains under the custody of the Maritime Border Police.
The discovery did not come as a surprise. Given the city’s wartime history, bomb disposal surveys were already in place ahead of the construction project. Between 1944 and 1945, Allied air raids targeted Trieste’s port infrastructure, which was considered a strategic hub. The most devastating attack occurred on June 10, 1944, killing hundreds of residents. Not all of the bombs dropped during those raids detonated — as Thursday’s find demonstrates.
Authorities said the mobilization of men and equipment following the discovery was “immediate and extensive,” underscoring the ongoing challenges posed by wartime remnants in Italy’s northeastern port city.
