In Serbia, near the city of Prahovo, more than 20 German ships sunk during the Second World War were seen.
Reuters writes about it.
This became possible because the Danube became very shallow. Due to the drought in Europe, the river has reached one of the lowest levels in a century.
In 1944, when the Nazi army was retreating under the pressure of the Soviet troops, the Germans sank hundreds of their ships in the Danube. They still impede river traffic when the water level drops.
This yearʼs drought has revealed more than 20 shipwrecks in a stretch of the Danube near Prahovo in eastern Serbia. Many of them still carry tons of ammunition and explosives on board — a danger to shipping. Because of this, the navigable area near Prahovo was narrowed from 180 meters to 100 meters.
"The German flotilla left behind a great ecological disaster that threatens us, the residents of Prahovo," said writer Velimir Trailovic, who wrote a book about German ships.
Local fishermen are also at risk. In addition to the Serbs, the remains of the ships are dangerous for the Romanians who live on the opposite bank of the river.
- In March, the Serbian government announced a tender for the seizure of ships and the removal of ammunition and explosives. The cost of the operation was estimated at $30 million.