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Low Danube water levels reveal 90-year-old shipwreck near Vukovar
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Culture & Society

Low Danube water levels reveal 90-year-old shipwreck near Vukovar

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Low water levels in the Danube River near Opatovac, Croatia, have revealed the remains of a ship believed to have sunk around 90 years ago.
  • The municipality of Lovas shared photos and appealed for information, with a resident finding a 1937 newspaper article detailing the sinking of the Hungarian cargo ship "Fulton."
  • The ship was reportedly carrying 50 wagons of coal when an unexplained accident occurred near Opatovac, causing it to sink with its cargo.

The Danube River's receding waters near Opatovac, Croatia, have unveiled a piece of history: the submerged remains of a ship thought to have sunk nearly a century ago. The municipality of Lovas shared images of the discovery, prompting a call for local and historical insights to identify the vessel.

History has literally surfaced from the Danube.

โ€” Lea Vidiฤ‡Lea Vidiฤ‡, head of the Lovas municipality, describing the discovery of the shipwreck due to low water levels.

Lea Vidiฤ‡, the head of the Lovas municipality, described the event as history "literally surfacing from the Danube." The municipality has already received a significant clue: a newspaper article from 1937 that details the ship's sinking. This find has shed light on the vessel's potential identity and the circumstances of its demise.

We have already received a valuable clue, a newspaper article from 1937 which talks about its sinking.

โ€” Lea Vidiฤ‡Lea Vidiฤ‡, head of the Lovas municipality, on the information found about the shipwreck.

According to the 1937 article, the Hungarian cargo ship "Fulton" was en route to Novi Sad, towing a barge laden with 50 wagons of coal for the Austrian Steamship Company. An unexplained accident near Opatovac led to the barge sinking with its entire cargo. Investigations by the Austrian Steamship Company and the Vukovar Port Authority at the time confirmed the total loss of the ship and its load, with only its stern visible above the water.

Some locals say that fifteen years ago they noticed only smaller outlines, but they don't remember such a visible ship.

โ€” Lea Vidiฤ‡Lea Vidiฤ‡, head of the Lovas municipality, commenting on the current visibility of the shipwreck.

Vidiฤ‡ noted that some locals recall seeing only faint outlines of the wreck 15 years ago, but the current visibility is unprecedented. She added that if the Danube's water levels continue to drop, a larger portion of the ship's structure might become visible. "Although it has likely been covered by river sand over the decades, this is a unique opportunity to document a part of our river history," Vidiฤ‡ stated.

If the Danube continues to drop, perhaps we will see an even larger part of its structure. Although it has likely been covered by river sand over the decades, this is a unique opportunity to document a part of our river history.

โ€” Lea Vidiฤ‡Lea Vidiฤ‡, head of the Lovas municipality, on the potential for further discoveries and the historical significance of the find.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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