Famed century-old ship "Sava's Titanic" emerges amid drought in Europe

The prolonged extreme heat and drought gripping Europe have caused rivers to run dry, revealing relics of the past. In Serbia, the wreck of a steam tugboat dating from the early 1900s has surfaced from the Sava River near Sremska Mitrovica. Locals have dubbed the vessel "Sava's Titanic," and while parts have appeared before, the current low water levels have exposed the rusting hull more than ever.

Historian Andrija Popovic, head of the town museum, noted the significant local interest in the reappearance of the Slovenian, as the wreck has not been so visible in years. The ship, built in 1913 in Budapest, was originally named Vag. It navigated the Danube, pulling heavy cargo. Its routes were largely paused during World War I, and after the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved, it became part of war reparations for the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, later renamed the Slovenian.

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It's been several years since it was last seen, so there is quite an interest.

During World War II, the ship served anti-fascist forces, transporting wounded soldiers after Belgrade's liberation in 1944. It was carrying wounded fighters when it struck a German mine. The reappearance of the Slovenian is one of many historical artifacts emerging from Europe's shrinking rivers, which have also disrupted trade, power, and water supplies amid the ongoing drought.

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It's truly something you don't see every day.