A diver searching for lobster off Fort Pierce beach last month discovered a suspected World War II-era torpedo, prompting a controlled detonation by the U.S. Navy on Tuesday.
Luke Neiman was diving with his father and a friend just south of the jetty when he spotted the unusual object. Neiman said he was near a large condominium building when he came across something on the seafloor that did not look like a reef.
"I couldn't really make out what it was, but I just knew it wasn't a reef, and I was kind of inspecting it, looking at it," Neiman said. "I'm like, this just looks different, you know, and then before I knew it, I'm like, this is a torpedo, because I could make out the end of it and it had a cone nose."
Neiman returned to the boat, told his father to mark the spot, and contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The FWC alerted the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office bomb squad, and the U.S. Navy was then notified.
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel conducted a controlled underwater detonation at the site on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 15, 2026. Navy officials confirmed the operation in a statement, saying the personnel conducted a routine underwater ordnance disposal operation in the waters off St. Lucie County. The Navy identified the object as a suspected World War II-era munition.
Neiman reflected on the discovery with surprise. "Yeah, it just really blew my mind literally that I found a torpedo down here right where I catch a bunch of lobster and stuff!" he said.