Barcelona beach evacuated after explosive artifact discovered offshore

The popular Sant Sebastia beach in Barcelona was evacuated on Sunday after an explosive device was discovered between 25-40 meters off shore, the Barcelona town hall confirms.

The beach was cordoned off and people were forbidden from going into the sea, as an operation involving local police and the Spanish Civil Guard was conducted after an off-duty member of the Civil Guard discovered the artifact by chance while swimming on Sunday morning.

Up to five launches belonging to the Civil Guard's Specialist Underwater Operations Group (GEAS) were used to pinpoint the exact location of the device, which was found at a depth of around three meters.

Early indications are that the explosive is old and is possibly a bomb dating back to the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and therefore not linked to any possible terrorist plot.

Experts from the Spanish navy have been called to deactivate the bomb, but according to reports in the local press, they have to travel from the naval base at Cartagena, southeast Spain, and will not arrive until Monday and the beach will remain closed until then.