This German submarine sank in 1917. It’s still leaking TNT
A German submarine that sank in 1917 is leaking TNT into the North Sea, posing a potential environmental threat to local marine life. Researchers are monitoring the wreck as it deteriorates, noting that explosive materials are being absorbed by nearby sediment and wildlife.
Why it matters
The degradation of underwater military wrecks represents a growing, long-term environmental hazard that requires monitoring to prevent chemical contamination of marine ecosystems.
In April 1917, the German submarine UC-30 was making its way through waters near R m after abandoning a mission to Ireland because of engine problems. The vessel had turned back toward Germany and was close to reaching home.
UC-30 was carrying 18 mines and six torpedoes, leaving the submarine packed with explosives. On April 19, it struck a British mine and sank. All 27 crew members died.
For nearly a century, the wreck remained lost beneath the sea. Danish diver Gert Normann Andersen finally discovered it in 2016.
UC-30 later became one of the wrecks examined through the major NorthSeaWrecks research project. Katrine Juul Andresen, a professor at the Department of Geoscience at Aarhus University, helped investigate the site.
Working with navy divers, Andresen and her colleagues collected water and sediment from around the wreck. They also sampled starfish and mussels living on or near the submarine.
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