"That thing that you can see there right across this boat, those ships were never been visible," one resident said.

The vessels were among nearly 200 military and support ships scuttled by retreating German forces in 1944 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the advancing Red Army and to block the Danube shipping channel.

Some of the wrecks are believed to contain unexploded ammunition, making them dangerous to remove and a continuing hazard to river traffic. Their presence has narrowed the navigable channel near Prahovo from about 180 metres to 100 metres during periods of low water .

Serbia and the European Union are carrying out a project to remove 21 of the most obstructive wrecks from a five-kilometre section of the river. Two vessels were recovered in 2024, with work expected to continue until 2028.

Record low water levels across parts of Serbia and neighbouring countries have disrupted cargo traffic, tourism and energy production while exposing shipwrecks and other remains that had been hidden for decades.

The Danube flows for around 2,850 kilometres from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, passing through or bordering ten countries.