The ship buried in the Thames for 80 years – and could become a giant bomb

The British government has launched an urgent engineering operation to remove the masts of the American cargo ship SS Richard Montgomery, which sank in the Thames in 1944 and still carries about 1,500 tons of explosives. The fear: the collapse of the masts could trigger a catastrophic chain explosion.

The British government has begun a sensitive engineering operation to remove the three masts of the American military cargo ship SS Richard Montgomery, which sank in the Thames estuary in August 1944 after running aground. The ship holds about 1,500 tons of World War II ammunition and explosives in its hold, and lies in shallow waters near major shipping lanes and settlements. The main concern is that the rusted masts, protruding above the water, could collapse on their own and fall onto the ship's decaying deck, potentially igniting a massive chain explosion. Experts estimate that such an explosion could create a huge blast wave and a tsunami-like wave up to 5 meters high, damaging nearby settlements and vital infrastructure. The specialized company Resolve Marine has been hired to carry out the project at a cost of £9.5 million, using special vibration-free saws. Removing the explosives themselves is considered too dangerous, so the operation focuses only on preventive measures: removing the masts, close monitoring, and maintaining the ship's area as a no-sail zone.