A drought sweeping Europe has uncovered a Second World War Nazi ship in the Danube River.
The German vessel was revealed after water levels in the river, located in Prahovo, Serbia, fell to record lows amid another blistering heatwave.
It is believed the German navy scuttled the boat, located in Europe’s second-largest waterway, as the crew fled the Soviet Army during the last days of the war.
An estimated 200 ships, including cargo ships and barges, sit at the bottom of the Danube, according to the European Investment Bank.
Boat wreckages risk blocking commercial ships moving along the river which costs Serbia approximately £4.3million per year to remove debris.
A ‘severe’ weather warning has been issued by The Republic Hydrometeorological Institute of Serbia as temperatures hit 35C (95F) and are expected to rise next week.
This comes as the Danube’s low water levels have forced Hungary’s only nuclear power plant to shut down for the first time ever next week.
The Soviet-era plant in Paks relies on the river’s water for cooling but the suction nozzles can no longer reach it.
A Second World War German warship has been uncovered in the Danube River due to record-low water levels
It is believed the vessel was scuttled as the crew fled the Soviet Army during the last days of the war
Hungary’s only nuclear power plant in Paks will shut down after it’s suction nozzles can not reach the Danube
Péter Magyar, Hungary’s Prime Minister, said the ongoing heatwave could cause the nation’s energy supply to become ‘critical’ from Monday.
The plant provides around 40 per cent of Hungary’s annual electricity generation but its operator has said the shutdown is ‘unavoidable’.
At a press conference at the plant, Mr Magyar said: ‘According to current calculations… this could happen on Tuesday or Wednesday.’
As the Danube River’s levels have fallen to the lowest in three decades, Romania has shut down one of its nuclear reactors and announced it would close a second.
The shutdowns are just one effect of an already record-breaking spell of hot weather, with several countries taking steps to reduce the risk of fires and ease pressure on water and energy networks.
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