Early-20th-Century Steam Tugboat Surfaces in Serbia’s Sava River Amid Drought

A steam-powered tugboat constructed in 1913 has become fully visible in the Sava River near the Serbian town of Sremska Mitrovica, 70 km northwest of Belgrade, as the river’s water level continues to fall. The vessel, originally named Vag and later renamed the Slovenian, measured about 54 meters in length and once hauled cargo between Budapest and Danube ports.

"It’s been several years since it was last seen, so there is quite an interest," said historian Andrija Popovic, head of the town museum.

Popovic explained that the tug survived both World Wars. After World War I it passed to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes as war reparations, receiving its new name at that time. During World War II the boat was used by Yugoslav anti-fascist forces to transport wounded and equipment. It struck a German mine in late April 1945 and sank, remaining at the riverbed until the recent drought exposed it.

The emergence of the Slovenian follows a series of relics uncovered across Europe’s drying rivers, including German warships in the Danube and mammoth remains in Bulgaria. Scientists attribute the extreme low water levels to a prolonged heat wave and lack of winter snow, conditions that have intensified droughts throughout the continent.

"What awaits us in the future ... is that such situations will be more frequent," said Serbian hydrology expert Dejan Vladikovic.

European climate monitors note that the continent is warming twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent severe droughts. Authorities warn that reduced river flows could affect navigation, energy production and water supplies across the region.