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UK Finally Removes Masts From Sunken WWII Bomb Ship—and Leaves the Explosives

British engineers have removed the masts from the SS Richard Montgomery, a World War II ship wreck in the Thames Estuary, to prevent potential collapse and triggering an explosion. However, approximately 1,400 to 14,000 tons of unexploded ammunition remain on board. The ship sank near Sheerness in 1944.

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  • ✓ The SS Richard Montgomery sank near Sheerness in 1944.
  • ✓ The ship contains approximately 1,400 tons of unexploded ammunition.
  • ✓ The ship's three masts were removed to prevent potential collapse and triggering an explosion.
  • ✓ 13,700 explosive devices remain aboard the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 11 independent reporting domains (85% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Engineers successfully completed the removal of the ship's masts.

Live updates

  1. UK Removes Masts from Sunken WWII Bomb Ship, Leaves Explosives

    British engineers have removed the masts from the SS Richard Montgomery, a World War II ship wreck in the Thames Estuary, to prevent potential collapse and triggering an explosion. However, approximately 1,400 to 14,000 tons of unexploded ammunition remain on board. The ship sank near Sheerness in 1944.

    Why it matters

    The SS Richard Montgomery is considered a time bomb due to its massive explosive payload. The ship's deteriorating condition posed a risk of a potential tsunami if the explosives were to detonate. The UK's delicate operation aimed to mitigate this risk by removing the masts.

    What is confirmed

    • The SS Richard Montgomery sank near Sheerness in 1944.
    • The ship contains approximately 1,400 tons of unexploded ammunition.
    • The ship's three masts were removed to prevent potential collapse and triggering an explosion.
    • 13,700 explosive devices remain aboard the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery.

    Still unconfirmed

    • 14,000 metric tons of WWII explosives remain in the Thames Estuary.

    What to watch next

    • Decisions on the future of the SS Richard Montgomery wreck
    • Progress on safely disposing of the remaining explosives
    • Any changes in the structural integrity of the wreck
    Sources used for this update (11)
    1. gizmodo.com — Gizmodo | The Future Is Here
    2. Gizmodo — UK Finally Removes Masts From Sunken WWII Bomb Ship—and Leaves the Explosives
    3. Interesting Engineering — Sunken WWII US cargo ship with 1,400 tons of explosives made safer
    4. Smithsonian Magazine — Engineers Delicately Removed the Masts From This Bomb-Laden World War II Shipwreck in the River Thames. But 1,500 Tons of Explosives Are Still in Place
    5. Kent Online — Future of bomb ship masts to be decided as conservation work begins
    6. Marine Insight — Masts Cut From Sunken WWII Ship Loaded With 1400 Tonnes Of Munitions Off London To Avert Tsunami Risk
    7. gizmodo.com — UK Finally Removes Masts From Sunken WWII Bomb Ship—and ...
    8. policy-wire.com — UK Removes Masts from Sunken WWII Ship Wreck with Massive ...
    9. seawanderer.org — UK completes delicate operation to remove masts from ...
    10. interestingengineering.com — Sunken WWII US cargo ship with 1,400 tons of explosives made ...
    11. www.marineinsight.com — Masts Cut From Sunken WWII Ship Loaded With 1400 Tonnes Of ...
    confidence 85%
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