In order to perform work on an underwater pipe, an apparatus comprising an ultrasound emitting system and at least one ultrasound receiving transducer (20) is lowered into the marine environment. During an inspection phase, an ultrasound inspection source (14, 14a) of the ultrasound emitting system and the receiving transducer are disposed on each side of the pipe, the inspection source is activated, and an ultrasound signal captured by the receiving transducer is recorded. The inspection step further comprises detecting a condition for locating an obstruction at the location where the inspection source and the receiving transducer are disposed, in response to the observation of an anomaly in the ultrasound signal captured by the receiving transducer at said location. In a destruction phase, a power source (14, 14b) of the ultrasound emitting system is then coupled to the pipe at the aforementioned location, and the power source is activated in order to destroy the obstruction.