Police clear Barcelona beach amid report of explosive device

Authorities in Barcelona evacuated one of the Spanish city’s popular beaches Sunday after reports of a possible explosive device there.

Police tweeted that “a possible explosive device was found” by officers at the Sant Sebastià beach, around a kilometer from the city’s famous Gothic quarter.

Barcelona TV channel Beteve reported the beach was evacuated as a precaution. It cited several unidentified sources saying the device was suspected of being a bomb left over from the Spanish Civil War.

The channel’s website published a photograph showing a stretch of the beach cordoned off with police tape.

Spanish radio station COPE reported the device was in the sea, about 40 meters (yards) off the coast.

A police bomb squad was heading to the scene, COPE said, quoting Spanish news agency Efe.

The beach was reportedly full of people when it was evacuated in the early afternoon, with temperatures close to 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).