Drought reveals Danube's secrets: 80-year-old Nazi shipwrecks surface

Europe's persistent drought and soaring temperatures have caused the Danube River's water levels to plummet to historic lows, uncovering a startling array of World War II Nazi-era shipwrecks.

Near Prahovo, Serbia, on the river's border with Romania, a rusted hull of a Nazi German warship from World War II has emerged from the sandy riverbed, a sight usually submerged. This vessel is one of hundreds that belonged to Nazi Germany's fleet and were sunk in this section of the Danube. Many remain underwater, some still carrying their deadly cargo of weapons.

In the autumn of 1944, German forces retreating from Romania towards Central Europe used the Danube for troop and equipment transport. Unable to navigate the treacherous Đerdap gorge, known as the "Iron Gates," ship captains deliberately scuttled their vessels. They hoped this act would impede the advance of Soviet forces.

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The wrecks are a kind of time capsule. After more than 80 years, the Danube continues to reveal stories that have not yet been fully told.

Historians estimate that 218 vessels, including patrol boats, minesweepers, and barges, were sunk. "The wrecks are a kind of time capsule," Bojan Dragicevic, author and producer of the documentary series "The Hidden Danube," told The New York Times. "After more than 80 years, the Danube continues to reveal stories that have not yet been fully told."

These wrecks have surfaced during previous droughts, with one or two appearing almost every summer, only to disappear again as water levels rise. This year, however, residents of Prahovo counted at least a dozen such wrecks. "The wrecks appear almost every year, sometimes more, sometimes fewer," said local fisherman Igor Skondric. "This year, the water level is extremely low, resulting in the emergence of ships that do not usually appear every year."

The Serbian government has previously sought assistance from the European Union to remove the wrecks. Some were removed by Yugoslav communist authorities, but the majority remain due to the explosives they carry. This poses a significant risk to passing vessels and complicates salvage operations, making the current low water levels an urgent call to action.

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The wrecks appear almost every year, sometimes more, sometimes fewer. This year, the water level is extremely low, resulting in the emergence of ships that do not usually appear every year.