50mm mortar round found in Tiagua

A potentially dangerous discovery on a construction site in Tiagua led to a full-scale security response last month, after workers unearthed what turned out to be a 50mm mortar round.

The incident took place on 17th April, when labourers were carrying out groundworks in the village of Tiagua. During the excavation, they noticed a partially buried object that looked unusual. On closer inspection, its shape and size suggested it could be an explosive device or a projectile. The workers immediately alerted the emergency services.

A Guardia Civil patrol from Costa Teguise was dispatched to the scene. After examining the object and confirming that it was indeed a device, officers activated the standard protocol. They secured and cordoned off the area, prevented anyone from entering, and notified the operations centre to bring in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (GEDEX) for Lanzarote.

When GEDEX specialists arrived, they identified the object as a 50mm mortar round. Following the necessary checks and after making sure the area was safe, they removed the round so that it could be destroyed later. Once the removal was complete, access restrictions were lifted and the site was reopened to the public.