A ‘Doomsday wreck’ with 1400 tons of World War II explosives is collapsing, threatening the Thames with a tsunami, a new survey of the ship has found.
The SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary in August 1944, settling at a depth of approximately 49 feet, around a mile-and-a-half from Sheerness, Kent.
Her masts still rise above the waterline, and there are plans to remove them to prevent their potential collapse onto the wreck, which could trigger an explosion.
However, a recent survey of the vessel has uncovered ‘concerning’ signs of decay in the ship’s body, all of which have been observed within the past year since the previous survey.
The new report warns that “the deck space near hold three appears to have started to collapse on the port side. This appears to be recent”.
Meanwhile, the “whole forward section of the wreck,” lying in two halves on the seabed, “appears to have an increased lean” of 10 to 15 cm.
This growing eastward tilt raises “potential concern” about the wreckage being undercut as supporting sediment erodes away, according to the report.
The survey also noted that a crack along the second cargo hold had widened by 5 cm and lengthened by 37 cm within a year, becoming “significantly buckled” further down.
This gives “the appearance that the forward part of the wreck is splitting in two,” causing the deck above to collapse by up to 20 cm in a year. Additionally, the back of the ship is “like the forward section… potentially breaking in two about halfway along its length.”
In this section, a stretch of deck six metres long had collapsed by over half a meter in one year. These findings were detailed in the 2023 survey report released last week.
In a statement, the Department for Transport said its priority was to ‘ensure the safety of the public and reduce any risk posed by the SS Richard Montgomery’.
It continued: “Experts have carried out vital surveying work to the wreckage and, based on their findings, we are revising our initial timeframe for removing the masts in the safest manner possible.
“The aim is to remove the masts as soon as possible should it be possible to establish a safe and effective operational methodology for doing so.”
Rich Lehmann, who chairs the environment committee at Swale Borough Council, which covers Sheerness, said the local authority was keeping a close watch.
He said: “The deterioration of the wreck is concerning, and the council are monitoring the situation closely.
“Officers are in dialogue with the Department for Transport, who manage the wreck, and other relevant agencies to ensure that all necessary precautions are in place to mitigate any potential risks.
“The safety of our community and the protection of our marine environment remain our top priorities.’
He continued: “The SS Richard Montgomery is an integral part of Sheerness’s history and holds a special place in the hearts of our residents.
“Any masts or artifacts removed from the wreck should rightfully be brought to Sheppey, and specifically to Sheerness, to preserve this significant chapter of our island’s history.
“The wreck is not only a historical landmark but also a beloved symbol of our community’s resilience and heritage.”
