As water levels drop in Serbia, WWII German warship wrecks are resurfacing, prompting recovery efforts to enhance river navigation.
As the water level decreases near the city of Prahovo in Serbia, remnants from World War II are emerging. Numerous wrecks of German warships, sunk by their crews while fleeing from the Red Army in 1944, lie in the riverbed.
The ongoing heatwave in the region has led to a drop in the water level of the Danube River at many points, bringing to light remnants from past eras. Each year, a significant number of German warship wrecks appear near the city of Prahovo in Serbia.
According to Fokus magazine, which brought the issue to the forefront this week, plans are in place to recover some of these wrecks in the coming years, while some have already been salvaged.
The story of the wrecks dates back to the final days of World War II, over 80 years ago. In the autumn of 1944, Wehrmacht troops began to retreat both on land and at sea in the face of the advancing Red Army. Hitler's soldiers had received strict orders that no usable war materials were to fall into enemy hands. This order also applied to the fleets of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) operating on Europe’s second longest river, leading crews to sink their ships in the Danube.
The plan was to block the navigation route with the wrecks to prevent the Red Army from advancing upstream along the Danube. This blockade continues to have effects even today.
In previous dry summers (for instance, in August 2022), the falling water level had also revealed some wrecks. In response, a project under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), supported by the European Union, was initiated to recover 21 wrecks that particularly disrupted river traffic.
200 wrecks and risky operations
According to the European Investment Bank (EIB), a strategic partner of the investment framework, some remnants located in a narrow five-kilometer stretch of the Danube were removed in 2024. These ships, cleared of mud, were pulled from the river with ropes.
A news article published on the bank's website that same year included statements from Aleksandar Banjac, the then Deputy Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia: 'Such work used to be much more difficult. However, thanks to modern technology, the process is now progressing more easily.'
According to EIB statements, the cleanup operations are expected to be completed by 2028. Before the salvage operation began, there were approximately 200 maritime vessels, including cargo ships, tugboats, and barges, that had been sunk at the bottom of the Danube.
The removal of armed ships carrying munitions from different armies is considered extremely dangerous. EIB officials emphasize that some vessels still contain live ammunition, posing a risk of explosion during salvage operations.
The wrecks were causing millions of euros in losses each year
According to the bank, there are strong economic reasons behind the decision to recover the initially identified 21 wrecks. The underwater remnants were causing significant delays in commercial freight transport, leading Serbia to incur an estimated loss of 5 million euros annually.
Banjac noted that expert divers and high-powered pumps were utilized to clear the sand and mud during the removal of the ships. However, he mentioned that some wrecks were too large for such operations, and these massive pieces were left buried deeper in the riverbed to avoid obstructing river traffic.
In July 2024, the EIB provided a grant of 16 million euros for the project. The aim is to make inland waterway transport in Serbia and the region more competitive in the future. The project, part of the Western Balkans Economy and Investment Plan with a total budget of 30 billion euros, is also expected to help shift a significant portion of freight transport from roads to waterways.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
