Divers begin removing masts from SS Richard Montgomery wreck
Dive teams have started removing masts from the SS Richard Montgomery, a Second World War wreck in the Thames Estuary that still holds about 1,400 tonnes of unexploded munitions.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Work has begun to remove the masts from the SS Richard Montgomery, a Second World War wreck in the Thames Estuary that still holds an estimated 1,400 tonnes of unexploded munitions.
The vessel was a Liberty ship. It ran aground in the Thames Estuary in August 1944. The wreck is a maritime monument and a major headache because its hold is still full of unexploded bombs.
The masts are seen as a potential risk. If one of the corroded masts fell into the hold, it could have explosive consequences. Years of expert analysis have concluded that the risk of a major explosion is low. The work is starting at the safest end of the wreck.
A 500 metre exclusion zone has surrounded the wreck for decades. Dive teams are entering it carefully. The wreck lies more than a mile from shore, so even when it first ran aground, the risk to the wider public was assessed as low. One science and technology editor who joined the teams described the atmosphere as exciting and a little nerve-wracking. He said the team was making its way very gingerly inside the exclusion zone.
Beneath the murky water are 1,400 tonnes of unexploded bombs from the Second World War. The decision to act follows more than 80 years in which the wreck was left well alone. It is considered Britain's most dangerous shipwreck. The removal of the masts is the first step in reducing a long standing hazard in the Thames Estuary. Further updates are expected as the careful work continues.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| The SS Richard Montgomery wreck contains an estimated 1,400 tonnes of unexploded war munitions. | |
| Work began to remove masts from the SS Richard Montgomery, a Second World War wreck in the Thames estuary, with experts judging the risk of a major explosion to be low and starting at the safest end. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News treated the story as a rare, dramatic access piece, with its science and technology editor joining dive teams inside the exclusion zone. It stressed both the danger of the corroded masts falling into the hold and the official assessment that a major explosion is unlikely. The tone mixed excitement and nerves, and both morning broadcasts used the same package and pointed viewers to a longer film on its app.
- “After being left well alone for more than 80 years, a decision's finally been made to do something about Britain's most dangerous shipwreck”
- “So this is exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking.”
- “It can't help feeling a little bit apprehensive knowing that just beneath this murky water is 1400 tonnes of unexploded bombs from the Second World War.”
Broadcast Timeline
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