Masts removed from bomb-laden WWII ship in Thames in bid to avoid explosion
American warship sank in 1944 with approximately 1,400 tonnes of munitions onboard A sunken US wartime ship in the Thames estuary holding enough unexploded bombs to devastate a Kent coastal town and send a tidal wave through London has been made slightly safer, ministers have announced. Engineers have removed the masts of the SS Richard Montgomery – a second world war cargo ship that sank in 1944…
In 1944, the USS Richard Montgomery, a US wartime cargo ship laden with approximately 1,400 tonnes of munitions, sank in the Thames estuary. The wreck, which remains a constant source of concern due to the potential for an explosion after 82 years underwater, has now been made slightly safer. Engineers have successfully removed the visible masts, which had posed a risk of collapsing and triggering an explosion.
The removal of the masts was a complex project requiring specialist expertise, and it was completed ahead of schedule and below forecast costs. The masts have been delivered to the Historic Dockyard Chatham, in recognition of the ship's historical significance. The wreck will continue to be monitored and controlled via the established exclusion zone, with no-fly restrictions in place since 2025.
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