The United States Coast Guard issued a warning on Tuesday after armed military flares went missing during a joint search and rescue training exercise with the U.S. Air Force.
According to WISN, four phosphorus pyrotechnics that were deployed earlier this month in Lake Michigan as part of a search and rescue training exercise with the Air Force roughly 20 miles from Milwaukee did not activate. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan has warned that the missing phosphorus pyrotechnics are considered to be armed.
Lt. Joe Neff, a public affairs officer for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, noted that the phosphorus pyrotechnics are “essentially” flares “that the military uses.”
According to ABC 7, the U.S. Coast Guard said one of the military flares was discovered by a lifeguard at Chicago’s Montrose Beach at roughly 5 p.m. on Monday.
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Chicago Police Communications & News Affairs shared pictures in a post on X, formerly Twitter, of the military flare discovered at Montrose Beach.
“This maritime flare, used in a military exercise, washed up on Montrose Beach yesterday,” Chicago Police Communications & News Affairs tweeted. “The public is asked to call 911 if they see a similar object. Do NOT touch, move or attempt to handle the item under any circumstances. Contact the U.S. Coast Guard for additional info.”
Following the discovery of one of the missing flares on Monday, Neff said, “Now we know we got three out there somewhere that could possibly still be in that armed position,” according to WISN.
WISN reported that the U.S. Coast Guard is warning anyone who discovers the missing flares to avoid touching them and immediately contact 911. The outlet noted that the military flares can burn at up to 2,900 degrees.
“If they find them on the beach, we don’t want you to pick it up,” Neff stated. “If it is still armed and it were to activate, 2900 degrees is pretty extreme. So we just want you to stay away from those. Contact 911.”
WISN reported that the remaining missing military flares led to concerns from visitors at the Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.
Sharing her concern about having her child at the beach, Farheen Hakeem told WISN, “It’s very nerve-wracking, actually, because my child is running around playing, having fun. You know, you can easily pick that up, just out of curiosity. If you told me this two hours ago, I wouldn’t have come here with her.”
