UK to start cutting down masts of WWII explosives ship to lower tsunami risk
The government will begin dismantling the three masts of the SS Richard Montgomery this month to reduce pressure on its 1,400-tonne wartime bomb cargo.
Work to cut down the three towering masts of the sunken SS Richard Montgomery is set to commence this month, according to the Department for Transport. The American ship went down in the Thames Estuary in August 1944 while carrying roughly 1,400 tonnes of wartime explosives, many of which remain on board. Specialists fear that as the wreck ages, the masts could collapse onto the ordnance, potentially creating a large explosion and a tsunami up to five metres high.
By reducing the mast height below the waterline, engineers hope to relieve stress on the hull and diminish that risk. The operation will use a jack-up barge and the removed masts will be transported to Chatham’s Historic Dockyard for display. Coordination with U.S. counterparts has been required to keep the historic structures in Britain.
Why it matters
Removing the masts lowers the chance of a catastrophic explosion that could endanger coastal communities.
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