Engineers perform delicate operation on explosives-packed World War II shipwreck, but bombs remain in place

October 23, 2026 / 10:06 AM EDT / CBS News

Sheerness, England — A delicate operation aimed at preventing an 82-year-old U.S. shipwreck packed with tons of World War II explosives from unleashing a potentially catastrophic tidal wave on London has been completed. But while the most imminent danger has been addressed, the explosives remain inside the rusting wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery on the riverbed, and experts aren't taking their eyes off it.

The Montgomery, one of about 2,700 Liberty ships built in the U.S. to support the Allied war effort, was grounded on a sandbar off the town of Sheerness in the Thames Estuary, just 40 miles from the British capital, in August 1944. It was carrying munitions intended to support the Allies following the D-Day landings.

The vessel broke apart during salvage efforts and sank, with an estimated 1,500 tons of explosives in its cargo holds.

The ship's three rusting masts protruding from the water had been a familiar sight to residents and passing vessels for decades. But recent surveys revealed increasing deterioration in the structure, raising fears the masts could collapse and trigger an explosion.

"The vessel was starting to lean and deteriorate, so they…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/world/