Thames “tsunami” warning as “doomsday wreck” threatens London

The SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary near Sheerness, Kent, 70 years ago – but it's a ticking time-bomb.
Photo: The Sun

The rusting wreckage of a World War II munitions ship is to be removed over fears that if its deadly cargo exploded it would cause a “tsunami”, Express informs.

The American Liberty Ship SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary in August 1944 carrying 7,000 tonnes of ordnance intended to supply the Allied advance in France after D-Day.

But 1,400 tonnes of explosives still remain on the wreck and an exclusion zone in place around it after experts warned that if the wreck exploded it would cause a “tsunami” which would threaten people in the nearby port of Sheerness, Kent as well as Southend in Essex.

When the SS Richard Montgomery sank in 1944 it was carrying 7,000 tonnes of munitions.
Photo: The Sun

A ‘doomsday wreck’ at the bottom of the Thames could unleash a terrifying “tsunami” towards London if it explodes.

The masts are still visible above the water line, and there are plans to remove them, lest they collapse onto the ship and trigger an explosion.

But experts say this is not enough. A new survey revealed that the body of the ship is collapsing and the explosives need to be removed before it is too late.

Sonar photos show how the wreck is lying in the Thames Estuary off the coast of Sheerness.
Photo: The Sun

Professor David Alexander of University College London (UCL) authored a study about the threat of the wreck, and believes removing the masts is insufficient.

He said: “I don't think that's going to solve the problem. Probably the biggest risk is shipping runs into it.

“The exclusion zone is 200 metres from a major shipping lane through which large container ships pass and, much more seriously, liquefied natural gas ships. These are five stories high, and contain enormous tanks of liquefied natural gas.'

Professor Alexander cited the 1980 example of the Mare Altum, a Danish-flagged chemical tanker on a collision course with the wreck when it was diverted with only minutes to spare.

Only the masts of the ship – the most surveyed and closely monitored wreck in British Waters – can be seen above the water and now Government officials have launched a bid for salvage firms to remove them, ‘The Sun’ informs.

The Salvage and Marine Operations Team also require the sunken ship to be surveyed, maintained and parts to be salvaged on behalf of the Department for Transport.

The US munitions ship the SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary during World War II.
Photo: The Sun