18 December 2008
Members of the New Zealand Defence Force bomb squad will head to the West Coast today to assess and render safe what is believed to be a WW1 Hertz Horn sea mine.
They will travel by helicopter with NZ Police and Department of Conservation workers to the remote beach near Karamea, where the mine was washed up.
The mine could be one that was laid by the SMS Wolf, a German raider operating off the coast of New Zealand around 1917.
It is anticipated that an update of the situation will be available after 3.30pm today.
ENDS
For further information please call Captain Zac Prendergast, phone 021 806 926.