Heatwave in Europe: Receding rivers reveal Nazi-era ships
Record-breaking temperatures in Europe have caused the Danube River to reach historic lows, exposing dozens of Nazi warships from World War II. Some vessels still contain live ammunition and explosives. Additionally, a German military motorcycle was found in Hungary, and a 700 kg British bomb was recovered in Slovakia.
Severe heat and drought conditions continue to grip Europe, with temperature records broken this week across several countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Authorities in Slovakia announced a new national record of 42°C measured in the village of Dolna Plachtince.
One of the most significant impacts of the crisis is on the Danube River, which flows through 10 countries and has reached historic low water levels. These receding waters have exposed remnants of the Nazi past, with dozens of World War II-era ships emerging from the riverbed. On the border between Serbia and Romania, the hull of a dismantled ship is visible on a sandbank that is usually submerged. Other vessels remain partially underwater, and some are still believed to be loaded with weapons and ammunition.
According to a report in The Guardian, these ships were part of Adolf Hitler's Black Sea fleet, intentionally scuttled by the German army in September 1944 to obstruct the Soviet advance. Historians note that up to 200 German warships were sunk in this manner. Furthermore, in 1944, the British Royal Air Force mined the river to disrupt enemy troop movements. While these ships have been exposed during previous droughts, the Serbian government has been unable to clear them due to the explosives they carry.
Additional World War II relics have been found elsewhere along the river. In Slovakia, police recovered an unexploded 700 kg British bomb. Authorities transported it using a specially adapted fire truck filled with sand to ensure safety, eventually detonating it in a five-meter-deep pit. In Budapest, where water levels dropped to a mere 10 centimeters—surpassing the previous 2018 record of 33 centimeters—a German military motorcycle was discovered.
The drop in water levels has triggered an energy crisis, pushing power plants to the brink of shutdown. In Romania, authorities were forced to blast a large rock in the river to divert water toward the last active nuclear power plant for cooling purposes. Hungary’s only nuclear power plant, the Paks station, which has four reactors, is facing a potential total shutdown for the first time in its 44-year history. The plant, which relies on Danube water for cooling, produced only 240 megawatts of electricity today, compared to its usual 2,000 megawatts. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy stated on Facebook that while engineers managed to keep the final turbine running, a full shutdown of the facility is likely imminent.
