U.S. Coast Guard finds remaining phosphorus flares that went missing in Lake Michigan
The U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday that it has now located all the phosphorus flares that were lost in a military exercise earlier this month.
By Adam Harrington
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — The U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday that it has now located all the phosphorus flares that were lost in a military exercise earlier this month.
Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan said the flares were used for a joint military exercise with the Air Force back on May 5 offshore from Milwaukee. Four phosphorus pyrotechnics failed to activate as they were supposed to when they hit the water during the exercise, the Coast Guard said.
The flares activate when they hit the water or when a cap and screw are removed, and produce a red smoke and flame that can reach 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit, the Coast Guard said.
One of the four flares washed up on Montrose Beach on Monday.
The other three were still missing when the Coast Guard announced one of them had been found at Montrose Beach. But on Wednesday, the Coast Guard said all four had been located.
The Coast Guard did not specify where the other three flares were found.
The Coast Guard said once the flares are put in the water, it is dangerous to pick them up and put them back in the vessel, so they leave them.
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