Switzerland seeks innovative ideas to recover munitions from lakes

Switzerland's pristine lakes, renowned for their scenic beauty, harbor a hidden legacy of Cold War-era military practices.

Tourists admiring the breathtaking scenery of lakes such as Lucerne, Thun, or Neuchâtel might be astonished to discover what lies hidden beneath their crystal-clear waters, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

For decades, the Swiss military used these lakes as dumping sites for outdated munitions, under the assumption that they could be safely disposed of there.

In Lake Lucerne alone, an estimated 3,300 tonnes of munitions are submerged, while Lake Neuchâtel harbors approximately 4,500 tonnes, which were used by the Swiss Air Force for bombing practice until 2021.

Some munitions lie at depths of 150 to 220 meters, while others in Lake Neuchâtel are only six or seven meters below the surface.

In response to the hazardous situation, the Swiss Defense Department is offering 50,000 francs (£45,000) in prize money for innovative solutions to safely retrieve the munitions. The top three ideas for effective and environmentally-friendly methods will share the prize, but the overall salvage operation is anticipated to cost billions.

The widespread dumping of munitions in Swiss lakes, including Lake Brienz, has been known for decades. However, recent concerns have intensified regarding their safety.

Retired Swiss geologist Marcos Buser, who has previously advised the government on this issue, published a research paper a decade ago highlighting the dangers associated with these underwater dumps.

According to Buser, the munitions present two significant risks. Firstly, despite being submerged, there remains a danger of explosion since many of the munitions still have their fuses intact, as they were not removed before disposal.

Then there is the issue of potential water and soil contamination, as there is a significant risk that highly toxic TNT could leach into the lake water and sediment.

The Swiss government has recognized that challenges such as poor visibility, magnetic iron interference, and the varying weights of individual munitions complicate environmentally friendly recovery efforts. An evaluation of possible recovery methods conducted in 2005 revealed that all proposed solutions posed severe risks to the delicate ecosystems of the lakes.

This situation is not the first instance of negligence by the Swiss military regarding munitions. In 1947, the alpine village of Mitholz was devastated by a massive explosion when 3,000 tonnes of ammunition stored in a mountain above the village detonated. The blast, which was heard 160 kilometers (100 miles) away in Zurich, killed nine people and destroyed the village.

Three years ago, the military disclosed that 3,500 tonnes of unexploded ammunition still buried in the mountain were unsafe, leading to a lengthy clean-up operation that required Mitholz’s residents to evacuate their homes for up to a decade.

Switzerland's Cold War-era defense strategy, which involved extensively mining bridges and tunnels as a deterrent against invasion, has led to a series of scandals. The strategy necessitated rapid demining of certain bridges when modern heavy vehicles threatened to detonate these old explosives.

A tragic incident underscored the risks associated with this outdated strategy. In 2001, the Gotthard Tunnel, a crucial north-south transport route in Europe, experienced a devastating fire following a collision between two trucks. Although the fire was contained without the involvement of nearby stored explosives, the Swiss military later had to deploy bomb disposal teams to address the dangerous munitions in the vicinity.

Recent reports from the Swiss Army highlight a troubling trend: civilian encounters with unexploded ordnance in the countryside surged by 12 per cent last year compared to 2022. This increase reflects ongoing issues with munitions disposal and safety.

Additionally, the effects of climate change are unearthing remnants of Switzerland's military past. As glaciers recede, they are revealing spent and live ammunition from high-altitude training exercises conducted decades ago.

These incidents point to ongoing challenges in managing the legacy of Switzerland’s Cold War defense measures and underscore the need for comprehensive and effective solutions to address historical and environmental hazards.

Switzerland’s legacy of ‘armed neutrality’ involves a unique defense strategy characterized by a large militia army, with mandatory military service for all Swiss men. This approach necessitates extensive training within the confines of a densely populated country.

The task of removing munitions from Switzerland’s lakes is anticipated to be both lengthy and complex. The immediate challenge is devising a feasible plan for the safe retrieval of these munitions.

Critics argue that the military should have anticipated such problems before dumping the munitions. However, for decades, geologists had advised the military that this practice was safe.

In response to the Swiss defense department's call for solutions, the public is invited to submit their ideas until February next year. These submissions will be evaluated anonymously by a panel of experts, with the top three proposals announced in April.

The government clarified, "The submitted entries will not be implemented immediately but may serve as a foundation for further study or research projects."

Mr. Buser suggests consulting the UK, Norway, or Denmark for their expertise in managing wartime wrecks and unexploded ordnance. Although he feels he may be too old to offer solutions himself, he remains willing to provide advice if needed.