Receding Danube unveils mystery shipwrecks near Mohács

The Danube's low water level has revealed shipwrecks from before 1950 near the city of Mohács. The discovery has sparked interest among researchers trying to determine their origin. The ongoing drought and heat waves contribute to the river's water level drop.

The low water level in the Danube has revealed shipwrecks, whose origin remains a mystery.

Near the city of Mohács, where the river has reached a depth of just 1.5 metres, four vessels from before 1950 have been discovered, still equipped with turrets and captain's bridges.

We still don't know exactly what it is – admitted Endre Sztellik, a ranger of the Danube-Drava National Park, where the wrecks were discovered.

As RVN highlights, shipwreck expert Ferenc Toth points to the need for further research to better understand the history of these vessels.

We need more research. The construction of the ships clearly indicates that they were built before 1951, but we don't know anything more about them — he admitted.

This is not the first time that the Danube has revealed ships hidden underwater – similar discoveries occurred, for example, in 2018.

The river's low water level is attributed to recent heatwaves and drought, which affected it in July and August. On Tuesday, in Budapest, it was only 1.2 metres, while during floods, it can exceed 8 metres.

Reports remind us that similar discoveries also appear in Serbia, near the river port of Prahovo. Many of these wrecks are ships sunk by the retreating German army in 1944, during World War II.

The wrecks can pose a navigation hazard, especially in conditions of low water levels.