Historic Danube retreat exposes sunken ship from 1937, paralyzing navigation

The heatwave and prolonged drought that has engulfed the European continent brought Serbia and Croatia this week the largest ever recorded drop in the level of the Danube River. This unusual shrinking of the riverbed has exposed vast sandy areas, the remains of sunken ships and is creating major obstacles for navigation, fuel supply, fishing activity and the tourism sector.

In the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, the water’s retreat by hundreds of meters has left dozens of vessels from a marina completely stuck in the mud. Meanwhile, in Croatia, the falling level has made visible a cargo ship that had kept hidden in the depths since its sinking in 1937.

In eastern Serbia, the Danube’s retreat has brought to the surface the rusted remains of a German convoy from 1944, which now pose a serious threat to navigation safety. Even in the capital Belgrade, the consequences are tangible: a cafe owner has taken advantage of a newly formed heap of stones in the middle of the river to set up tables and chairs.

The energy sector is also suffering the consequences of this critical situation. Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedović-Handanović announced that during July, the amount of imported fuel reached only 25 percent of the planned target. The main reason is that tanker ships are forced to travel with reduced loads, utilizing only 30 to 40 percent of their capacity due to insufficient depth.

Besides transport, the exceptionally low levels of the Danube, as well as the Tisa and Sava rivers, are severely damaging fishing and tourism. Specialists warn that this prolonged drought risks leaving lasting consequences on the ecosystem and wildlife.