Suspicious item detonated at Auckland beach

While the area was taped off to the public, the Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was called to the site.

The NZ Defence Force detonated a suspicious item on a popular Auckland beach this afternoon, prompting a startled reaction from locals who heard the explosion.

One local, a former member of the NZ Navy, said he hadn’t heard such a bang since his time serving in the military.

The item washed ashore at Orewa Beach, north of Auckland. Photos on social media of the object showed a long metallic canister with writing on the side.

Police cordoned off part of the beach as a precaution after a member of the public found the item around 2pm.

While the area was taped off to the public, the Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit was called to the site.

A couple of hours later, locals heard the a dull boom and could then see a plume of black smoke rise from the beach where the EOD were working.

One of those distracted by the sound was Orewa local of 11 years, Norm Greenall.

Photos of the object on social media of the object showed a long metallic canister with writing on the side.

Greenall had spent 30 years serving in the NZ Navy from 1957 to 1987, he said the sound reminded him of that time.

“I thought I might need to change my knickers, I hadn’t heard that sort of bang since I left the military,” he told the Herald.

“It was the sort of noise I heard when there were exploding death charges and practice mortar bombs, that type of noise.”

When he saw the black smoke rising from the beach, he thought the sight was strange but didn’t know the police were at the scene.

Several neighbours in the street across the beach joined Greenall outside to investigate the sound.

“My immediate thought was it was a barbecue or an LPG bottle which had blown up, and the neighbours all thought the same thing,” he said.

“The unfortunate thing was the area was closed off, and nobody let us know they would detonate it. So we had people out on the streets wondering what was happening.”

Police confirmed the EOD “successfully made the item safe”, but cordons remain at the beach while the scene is cleared.