Due to the shrinking of the Danube River in Serbia
Due to the shrinking of the Danube River in Serbia, Nazi-era ships previously submerged have reappeared. Owing to prolonged heat, the water level in the Danube near the city of Pristina in eastern Serbia has dropped so much that ships submerged during World War II have become visible.
Consensus
- The level of the Danube River has significantly decreased due to prolonged heat and drought.
- Zatoplenye Nazi German ships from World War II are visible in the Danube River near Prakovo, Serbia.
- The ships were deliberately sunk by Nazi Germany in September 1944 during Operation Danube Elf.
- More than 200 vessels, including barges, patrol, and medical ships, were sunk to block Soviet advances.
- The sunken ships continue to obstruct river navigation and cause economic losses.
- European Union funding is supporting efforts to remove or stabilize the sunken vessels.
- The Danube River's low water levels have also affected the operation of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary.
Points of divergence
- The Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary will fully shut down overnight on August 3 due to low water levels, with one of two remaining operating units disconnecting at 1:30 (2:30 MSK), reducing power output to 240 MW. — vedomosti
- The discovery of the wreckage may lead to delays in river navigation and result in annual economic losses of up to €5 million for Serbia. — kommersant
- The European Investment Bank (EIB) has allocated a grant of €16 million for the project, and the EU is financing the removal of 21 most dangerous sunken vessels, with work starting in 2024 and expected to end by 2028. — tg_dwglavnoe
- Serbian authorities plan to complete the removal works by 2027, and some large vessels may be buried deeper to minimize obstruction. — vesti
Coverage (4 sources)
- In Serbia, due to the drying up of the Danube, sunken ships of the Third Reich have become visible — Ведомости
- In Serbia, wreckage of a Third Reich ship discovered due to the Danube's shrinking — Коммерсантъ
- Due to the drying up of the Danube in Serbia, sunken Nazi ships have become visible again — DW Главное
- In Serbia, Nazi ships submerged in the Danube have appeared — Вести