Get you up to speed: ‘Doomsday wreck’ full of explosives could cause Thames tsunami; exclusion zone widened | News UK
Authorities have expanded the exclusion zone around the SS Richard Montgomery wreck due to fears of a potential tsunami caused by its unstable explosives.
The Department for Transport confirmed an expanded exclusion zone around SS Richard Montgomery as fears grow over the shipwreck’s stability and potential tsunami risks.
Shipping traffic must maintain a wider exclusion zone around the SS Richard Montgomery from March 23 to April 5 while investigations are conducted.
What we know so far
The exclusion zone around the SS Richard Montgomery, a World War Two ship filled with explosives, has been expanded. This follows concerns about the wreck’s stability, as it has lain in the Thames Estuary since it sank in August 1944, carrying thousands of tonnes of ammunition.
Experts warn that an explosion could create a tsunami with waves reaching up to 16ft, threatening the Isle of Sheppey and potentially flooding London. To mitigate risks, shipping traffic will need to avoid the area from March 23 to April 5 while the wreck is surveyed. Buoys marking the new exclusion zone were placed on March 16.
There have been rising concerns about cargo ships sailing too close to the wreck, with previous images highlighting the proximity of tankers. The ship, which is breaking apart, contains approximately 14,571 bombs, with plans to cut down its three masts to alleviate pressure on its deteriorating hull, although these efforts have faced delays since their announcement six years ago.
In the event of an explosion, a government test conducted in 1970 predicted a catastrophic wave could reach 3,000 metres high, endangering both the town and port of Sheerness. The Department for Transport has been approached for further information on this evolving situation.
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‘Doomsday wreck’ packed with explosives which could trigger Thames tsunami has exclusion zone expanded | News UK
The exclusion zone around a World War Two ship packed with explosives dubbed the ‘doomsday wreck’ has been expanded.
The SS Richard Montgomery went down in the Thames Estuary with thousands of tonnes of ammunition in August 1944 and has been sitting on the seabed ever since.
Experts fear that an explosion could trigger a tsunami with waves up to 16ft high hitting the coastline, engulfing the Isle of Sheppey and flooding London.
From March 23 to April 5, shipping traffic will have to give the American munitions ship a wider berth while investigators survey the wreck and the area around it. Buoys to mark the new exclusion zone are in place from March 16.
It comes after a no-fly-zone was placed around The Montgomery last summer following advice that it was becoming more unstable.
There are also fears that cargo ships are sailing too close after photos emerged last summer showing how close tankers are allowed to get.
The Monty sits between Sheerness in Kent and Southend-on-on-Sea in Essex and broke in half when it sank to the bottom of the sea, taking 7,000 tonnes of ammunition with it.
Roughly half were salvaged, but around 14,571 bombs remain onboard.
Its three masts, which protrude from the water, are set to be cut down to reduce strain on the ship’s deteriorating hull.
However, that project, first announced six years ago, has been bogged down in delays.
The SS Richard Montgomery, named after an American hero of the War of Independence, had been set to join a convoy heading to Cherbourg in France after docking at Sheerness. Instead it ran aground and broke in half.
According to the report, such a detonation would cause a 3,000 metre high column of water and debris and a five-metre tsunami while both the town and port of Sheerness would be overwhelmed.
A government test was conducted in 1970, which detailed the worst-case scenario or ‘top event’ if the entire cargo of bombs exploded.
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The water wave would also reach the Isle of Grain and its liquid gas installations with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Meanwhile, London would also be flooded thanks to the “Thames tsunami”. There are also lesser explosion scenarios.
The Department for Transport has been contacted for further information.
In June, a report suggested the shipwreck was coming closer to collapsing.
The report claimed the front part of the wreck is ‘splitting in two’, with the back section also in trouble.