KIEL, GERMANY –
Below the waves off Germany’s northern tourist beaches, a toxic time bomb lurks on the Baltic Sea floor — enormous quantities of World War II munitions that are slowly rusting away.
Scientists warn that as salt water corrodes the metal casings on rockets, artillery shells and bombs, they will release contaminants such as the explosive TNT into the marine environment.
To better map the dangers, a research vessel set sail this month from the port city of Kiel, whose bay is among the most polluted with unexploded ordnance.