Florida Lobster Diver Finds Suspected WWII Torpedo, Prompting Navy Detonation

A routine lobster dive off the Florida coast took an extraordinary turn when a diver discovered what appeared to be an old torpedo resting on the seabed.

Luke Neiman was diving south of the Fort Pierce Inlet in early August when he noticed an object that did not look like part of the surrounding reef. As he moved closer to inspect it, its distinctive shape became apparent.

According to WPBF 25 News, Neiman was diving with his father and a friend when he made the discovery. He could make out what appeared to be the end of the object and a cone-shaped nose, leading him to believe he was looking at a torpedo.

Rather than disturbing it, Neiman returned to the boat and asked his father to mark the location.

He then contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, setting in motion a response that would ultimately involve several agencies and the U.S. Navy.

Navy Called In

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission alerted the U.S. Coast Guard, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office bomb specialists and the U.S. Navy after receiving the report.

The object remained underwater until September 15, when Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel carried out a controlled disposal operation in the waters off St. Lucie County.

The Navy subsequently confirmed to WPBF 25 News that its EOD personnel had conducted the operation and identified the object as a suspected World War II-era munition.

The resulting underwater explosion was substantial enough to be clearly visible from shore.

Footage of the controlled detonation showed a large plume of water rising from the Atlantic off Fort Pierce. The Navy confirmed at the time that the explosion was a planned controlled detonation.

An Extraordinary Find Beneath a Familiar Dive Site

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the discovery is how ordinary the dive had initially been.

Neiman was not searching for a shipwreck or conducting an archaeological survey. He was lobster diving in waters he already knew, just south of the Fort Pierce jetty.

The Navy has described the object as a suspected WWII-era munition rather than publicly confirming its precise type, model or origin. While its appearance led Neiman to identify it as a torpedo, exactly what the device was and how it came to rest off the Florida coast have not yet been publicly established.

It is therefore important that the discovery remains described as a suspected WWII-era torpedo or munition unless further identification is released by the Navy.

The discovery is also not the first time old military ordnance has emerged around Fort Pierce.

In January 2026, another diver discovered a mortar at Pepper Park Beach, near Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. Authorities evacuated beachgoers while bomb disposal specialists responded and rendered the device safe.

A Reminder for Divers

For recreational divers, the latest discovery provides a useful reminder that objects which have spent decades underwater should never automatically be considered harmless.

Old military ordnance can remain hazardous despite corrosion and long-term exposure to seawater.

Neiman’s response provides a straightforward example of what to do when encountering something potentially dangerous underwater: do not touch or attempt to recover it, leave it in place, record or mark the location as safely as possible and report the discovery to the appropriate authorities.

In this case, what began as an ordinary Florida lobster dive eventually ended with U.S. Navy explosive ordnance specialists carrying out a controlled underwater detonation.

And somewhere beneath a familiar stretch of Florida coastline, a diver had unexpectedly uncovered what may have been lying undisturbed since the Second World War.