Historic steam tug resurfaces in Serbia as Europe's rivers hit record drought
A century-old steam tugboat called the Slovenian has emerged from the Sava River near Sremska Mitrovica as severe drought drives European waterways to historic lows.
A steam tugboat constructed in 1913 in Budapest and later called the Slovenian has broken the surface of the Sava River close to Sremska Mitrovica, offering a rare glimpse of a vessel that survived two world wars before sinking after striking a German mine in April 1945. Museum director Andrija Popovic highlighted the boat’s historic role, including its use to ferry wounded fighters during the 1944 liberation of Belgrade.
The discovery comes amid a continent-wide drought that has left the Danube, Rhine and other waterways at record lows, disrupting trade, power generation and water supplies. Similar finds include rusted German ships on the Danube, an ancient Roman bridge pier on the Tiber, and a woolly mammoth skeleton in Bulgaria. Scientists link the drying rivers to accelerating climate change, with experts warning that such extreme conditions may become routine. Local authorities and hydrology specialists stress the need for adaptation as even Alpine lodges face water restrictions.
Why it matters
The boat’s emergence highlights how extreme drought, driven by climate change, is exposing hidden history and threatening water-dependent infrastructure across Europe.
In this story
