Drought exposes sunken WWII German vessels in Danube as water levels fall

Water levels on the Danube River have fallen to a record low, uncovering the rusted hulls of dozens of German warships that were scuttled in 1944. The vessels, part of Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet, were deliberately sunk near the Serbian town of Prahovo as German forces retreated from advancing Soviet troops. Historians estimate that up to 200 ships were deliberately flooded in the Danube gorge in September 1944 to impede the Soviet advance, although the war ended months later.

The exposed wrecks, some still containing ammunition, have become visible along the river that forms the border between Serbia and Romania. Local resident Krsta Brandic said the low water has effectively halted large-ship traffic, adding, "> As you can see, the (big) ships can’t pass anymore."

Authorities are now facing the dual challenge of maintaining navigation on a waterway that passes through ten countries and preventing power plants that rely on the river from shutting down. Governments in Central and Eastern Europe have begun electricity-conservation measures as the drought-driven water shortage strains regional energy supplies. Experts have linked the extreme heat and reduced river flow to broader climate-change trends.

Serbian officials, supported by European Union funding, have long considered the removal of the sunken vessels. While some were cleared after World War II, many remain because of the explosives they still contain. The current exposure of the ships underscores the urgency of addressing both the environmental and safety risks posed by the drought.