Sunken WW2 German warships emerge from Danube river
STORY: These German warships sunk during World War Two
Location: Prahovo, Serbia
Now, low water levels on river Danube have exposed more than 20 hulks
The vessels were among hundreds scuttled along the Danube by Nazi Germany's fleet
as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces in 1944
(Velimir Trajilovic, Author) “The Second World War's remnants, or the consequences of the conflict between the Red Army and the German flotilla, are now here in front of us. Thus, they left behind an ecological disaster for us, the residents of Prahovo, which has been threatening us every day for the past 78 years.”
The hulks have narrowed the navigable section on this stretch of the Danube by about 260 feet
Many of the vessels also still contain tons of ammunition and explosives
and pose a danger to the shipping and local fishing industry
The Serbian government has invited a tender for the salvage of the hulks
and removal of ammunition and explosives
The cost of the operation is estimated at $30 million
