Quakes caused by mine clearance

The Royal Navy is training with other Nato members

Explosions recorded by earthquake recording equipment were caused by military mine clearance training, the Royal Navy has confirmed.

BBC Scotland told how the British Geological Survey registered the explosions three times last week in the Minch during exercise Joint Warrior.

They were recorded as earthquakes until confirmation from the Royal Navy.

Minesweepers were removing objects from the seabed as part of vital training, the navy said.

Explosions in the Minch between the mainland and the Western Isles were registered at magnitudes of 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9.

Experts at the BGS suspected from the characteristics of the seismograms they were not earthquakes but registered them as such until hearing from the navy.