Quirra, the (unpleasant) surprise: unidentified dangerous object in the sea, swimming prohibited

Swimming is prohibited off Murtas beach in Villaputzu, within the Salto di Quirra joint military firing range (open only in summer). Not along the entire beach, but within a hundred meters of the spot where "a presumed unidentified and potentially dangerous object was found at approximately three meters of water." This is established by a permanent order from the Coast Guard, Arbatax maritime district office.

What is defined as a "potentially dangerous object" is unknown. But the Coast Guard offices know full well that there, on the seabed, there's a good (very high) chance there could be a bomb or missile . And to be on the safe side—even if it were a harmless piece of metal—there's a ban. "For reasons of public safety, navigational safety, and the protection of human life at sea, maritime traffic and any other activity involving the use of the sea and state maritime property" are prohibited in a large stretch of sea just north of the mouth of the Frumini Durci River.

But you can set up your umbrella from a distance. Perhaps you'll be able to watch the blasting operations being conducted by the SDAI unit in Cagliari: they'll detonate a device found on the seabed off Capo San Lorenzo. And to do so, another prohibition order is needed: it will be forbidden to approach within a thousand meters of the point of the imminent explosion, from August 4th to the 14th.

The same restrictions apply further north, off the northern side of Murtas beach: visitors will not be allowed to come within a thousand meters of the Italian Navy vessel Gaeta , which will be working with divers and ROVs to search for explosive devices to detonate.

Meanwhile, on the ground, upstream from the range, in Perdasdefogu, Leonardo Spa – Italy's leading warfare company – will be testing weapons systems thanks to the approval granted by the Region, which is an exception to the ban on this type of activity during the summer.