Switzerland is offering a monetary reward for removing weapons from lakes.
In the Swiss Alps, beneath Lake Brienz, lie buried weapons.
Discovering what's beneath those pure alpine waters may startle visitors visiting lakes Lucerne, Thun, or Neuchatel, which provide postcard-perfect views.
The Swiss military believed that obsolete weapons could be securely disposed of in the lakes, thus they utilized them as disposal sites for it for years.
An estimated 3,300 tons of munition are located in Lake Lucerne alone, while 4,500 tonnes are located in the waters of Neuchatel, which were used by the Swiss air force for bombing drills until 2021. In Lake Neuchatel, some weapons are located 150–220 meters below the surface, while others are only six or seven meters.
The Swiss defense ministry is now providing a prize money of 50,000 francs (£45,000) for the finest plan to get it free.
pot, but billions are anticipated to be spent on the recovery process.
Twofold risk Although
The fact that so many rounds were dropped in Swiss lakes—Brienz being one among them—has long been known, concerns over safety have only lately surfaced. Ten years ago, retired Swiss geologist Marcos Buser, who provided government advice on this subject, released a study paper alerting readers to the hazards posed by the dumps.
Two hazards are associated with the explosives, he noted. The first reason it could explode even though it is submerged is that "the army failed to eliminate the fuses before dropping the munition" in numerous instances.
Furthermore, there is a potential for extremely poisonous TNT to contaminate the sediment and lake water, resulting in contamination of both soil and water. Ammunition weights, magnetic iron, and low visibility are among the elements that the Swiss government admits "represent significant obstacles for environmentally conscious ammunition collection".
A 2005 evaluation of potential recovery methods revealed that every proposal put forth for munitions recovery posed serious dangers to the lakes' delicate ecosystems.
History of issues
The Swiss military has a history of acting a little carelessly when it comes to its weaponry. In 1947, a major explosion occurred in the alpine community of Mitholz, when 3,000 tonnes of ammunition that the army had stashed in the mountain above the village burst.
The community was demolished, and nine people lost their lives. In Zurich, the explosion was even audible from 160 kilometers (100 miles) distant.
The military said three years ago that 3,500 tonnes of unexploded ordnance that were remaining buried in the hills will be eliminated after it was discovered to not be safe. Residents of Mitholz were forced to leave their homes for up to ten years while the cleanup process was underway.
Scandals have also surfaced regarding neutral Switzerland's defense plan during the Cold War, which involved tunnels and bridges being mined to fend off an attack. Modern big freight vehicles ran the potential of setting off an explosion, hence some bridges needed to be demined right away.
The quiet Swiss village with the ticking time bomb.
One of Europe's main north-south transportation arteries, the Gotthard Tunnel, claimed the lives of eleven people in 2001 when a fire started after two vehicles collided. After fire fighters put out the blaze, the army appeared with bomb disposal gear in hand. The explosives were not part of the fire, but they were still kept in large quantities in a storage near the tunnel opening.
Additionally, the army disclosed this week that the number of notifications from citizens about unexploded munitions they came across in the Swiss countryside last year rose by 12% (on 2022).
Even on the glaciers, which are retreating due to climate change, the ice is melting and exposing spent and live ammunition from decades-old high mountain training.
It is a holdover from Switzerland's defense policy of "armed neutrality," which involves keeping a sizable militia army that receives almost all of its training inside the nation's heavily populated areas (military service is mandatory for all Swiss men).
Protracted and expensive.
It is anticipated that the task of removing weapons from Switzerland's lakes will be difficult and drawn out. However, someone must first devise a practical strategy for how to remove them. While others argue that the army should have considered that before dumping, geologists advised the military for decades that the practice was safe. The search is underway for answers.
The general population can submit proposals until February of next year, after which they will be secretly judged by a group of specialists, in response to the plea of the Swiss Defense Department. In April of next year, the three winners will be declared.
The authorities stated: "It wasn't intended to carry out the submitted entries right away, but they might be useful as the basis for further explanations or for launching scientific projects."
Mr. Buser advises seeking guidance from the UK, Norway, or Denmark because of their prior expertise handling wartime wrecks that include unexploded munitions.
Will he then provide any ideas? "No, I’m outdated now…but if they require guidance I will be glad to provide it."
