Drought Reveals Old Shipwrecks in the Danube

The Danube River reached record-low levels in Serbia and Croatia during the summer after weeks of heatwaves and drought across Europe. Near the city of Novi Sad in Serbia, the water dropped by several hundred meters, leaving boats stuck in green slurry at the marina. Large areas of sandbanks became visible.

The low water made river transport very difficult. Serbia's energy minister reported that fuel imports reached only 25% of the July target. This happened because barges and tankers could carry only 30% to 40% of their normal cargo. Fisheries and tourism also suffered from the drought.

In Croatia, the shallow water revealed a freight ship that sank in 1937. In eastern Serbia, rusty German warships from 1944 reappeared and created navigation hazards. Weather experts predicted a small rise in water levels after rainfall upstream, but the drought shows how climate affects rivers used for transport and local economies.