Masts taken from WWII bomb-laden wreck in Thames to lower explosion risk
Engineers have removed the three masts from the sunken SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames estuary, reducing the danger posed by its 1,400 tonnes of unexploded ordnance.
A specialist engineering team has successfully dismantled the three masts that protruded above the water from the SS Richard Montgomery, a wreck in the Thames estuary that still contains roughly 1,400 tonnes of unexploded bombs. The removal was prompted by concerns that a mast collapse could trigger a catastrophic explosion, a scenario long debated by experts. Maritime minister Keir Mather reported the project finished early and below the projected £9.5 million cost, describing it as a complex task requiring advanced risk-management expertise.
The historic masts have been delivered to the Historic Dockyard Chatham, acknowledging the ship’s wartime significance. The site continues to be protected by a maritime exclusion zone and a no-fly zone established in 2025, with authorities maintaining ongoing surveillance.
Why it matters
Removing the masts lowers the chance that the decades-old bomb stockpile could detonate and threaten nearby communities.
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