The French group Odysseus 3.1External link sent divers to investigate the exact location and condition of unused ammunition that a company called Hispano-Suizo had disposed of in Lake Geneva in the 1950s and 1960s. After the Second World War, the Swiss government had given the army permission to jettison unused military equipment this way. Geneva banned the practice in 1962.
This autumn, the divers found four crates of ammunition at a depth of about 50 meters, announced Odysseus 3.1 on Friday. They are not buried under sediment and therefore quite exposed and considerably more dangerous.
“In ammunition there may be arsenic, cyanide, and carcinogenic products associated with explosives. We don’t want to have that in drinking water or affecting aquatic wildlife,” University of Geneva sediment specialist Stéphanie Girardclos told Swiss public television, RTSExternal link.
According to diver Lionel Rard, the president of Odysseus 3.1, the damaged crates are about 150 meters from a pipeline and a drinking water sensor.
“We simply want the authorities to take action to clean up the lake. We are not here to judge what was done in the past. On the other hand, those who now know what’s happening and who have the means to intervene will be judged by future generations,” he said.
External Content
Gilles Mulhauser, director general of the Geneva Cantonal Water Office, told RTS he was not particularly worried: “In our opinion there is no major pollution in the vicinity of these munitions.”
But he acknowledged that the lack of sediment created a new situation. “We will have to analyze this situation and see to what extent we must order specific works or actions.”
In lakes Brienz, Lucerne and Thun, local authorities have decided it is safer to leave the ammunition in place as it lies about 200 meters under the surface, with enough sediment to ward off corrosion.
More
More
Living on top of old explosives
This content was published on
A report on the risks presented by dormant WWII ammunition in the mountains and lakes.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
This content was published on
Experts believe that economic development in Switzerland will be weaker in 2026 than the forecasts made three months ago. They have also lowered their predictions for the current year.
This content was published on
Fewer people in Switzerland have a religious affiliation and the proportion who practice their religion regularly is steadily declining, a survey finds.
Study: trees have major cooling effect even in extreme heat
This content was published on
Plane trees in cities have an important cooling effect even in extreme heat, according to a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).
EPFL launches digitised version of Battle of Murten panorama
This content was published on
To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Murten on 22 June 1476, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has launched a website that offers the public an immersive experience of the huge panorama painting of the historic battle.
77th Swiss Gymnastics Festival praised for ‘positive energy’
This content was published on
The 77th Federal Gymnastics Festival drew to a close on Sunday in Lausanne, after eleven days of popular celebration and sporting performances.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Alpine ammunition storage site deemed intolerable
This content was published on
The government environment agency has confirmed that a former ammunition stockpile at Mitholz is an unacceptable risk for the local population.
This content was published on
The ministry’s latest environmental impact survey drew the same conclusions as predecessors in 2008 and 2012 – namely that the munitions were not leaking and the water contained toxins of such minute levels that the water is safe to drink. In 2012, it concluded that it is better to leave the munitions where they are…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.