The corpses washed up after the navy detonated 42 rusting munitions. The coastal waters of Germany have 1.6 million tonnes of explosives. Animal rights activists say the actions violated the law.

The environmental organization Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) stated the Bundesmarine exploded 42 mines during NATO exercises in August, 39 of which were inside a nature preserve. 

"Each mine tore open a crater five meters (16.4 feet) wide and 1.5 meters deep in a strictly protected area. Everything within a range of 10 to 30 meters (30 to 100 feet) was killed. This incident is unacceptable and reveals the navy's ignorance of nature protection laws and inadequate environmental standards, as well as the complete failure of politicians in dealing with the problem of old war munitions," NABU head Leif Müller said.

Maritime Business World