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I wondered too much and asked ChatGpt about it. Sometimes it can give to much info, but it's brilliant. The bottom line is the chemical leaching poses a low risk. Here's the whole reply.

You’re almost certainly thinking of the SS Richard Montgomery — often called Britain’s “doomsday wreck.”

What it is

A World War II American cargo ship that ran aground and sank in August 1944 in the Thames Estuary, near Sheerness (Kent).
It was carrying thousands of tonnes of munitions for the war effort.

Why it’s famous (and worrying)

About 1,400 tonnes of explosives are still on board today.
The wreck is unstable and deteriorating, so it’s closely monitored by UK authorities.
There’s a strict exclusion zone around it to keep ships away.

Could it explode?

Experts disagree on the level of risk, but it’s generally considered low probability but high impact.
Some studies suggest a worst-case explosion could:
- create a large blast wave
- and possibly a significant surge (small tsunami) in the estuary

What’s being done

It’s under constant surveillance and periodic surveys.
Plans have included removing the ship’s masts (to prevent collapse-triggered detonation), though full removal of explosives is considered very difficult and risky.

In short

Yes—there really is a sunken ship full of explosives in the Thames Estuary, and it’s been there since 1944. It’s not ignored, but carefully monitored because trying to remove the bombs could be more dangerous than leaving them.

If you want, I can show you exactly where it is on a map or how visible it is from shore.

Any chemical effects to local environment from decaying chemicals?

Good question—people often assume there must be significant pollution leaking out, but the reality around the SS Richard Montgomery is more nuanced.

What’s actually on board

The cargo is mainly conventional WWII munitions, including:

TNT (trinitrotoluene)
RDX (a more powerful explosive)
Fuzes, detonators, and bombs

These are solid explosives, not liquid chemical weapons or industrial toxins.

Do they leak into the water?

Yes—but only very slowly and in small amounts:

Explosives like TNT and RDX do dissolve slightly in seawater
Corrosion of casings over decades allows trace quantities to escape

Environmental impact so far

Monitoring around the wreck has shown:

Low concentrations of explosive compounds in nearby sediments and water
Effects are generally very localized (close to the wreck itself)
No clear evidence of widespread contamination across the estuary

This is partly because:

The tidal Thames Estuary is highly dynamic, so water movement disperses contaminants
The explosives degrade over time into other compounds

Toxicity and marine life

TNT and related compounds can be toxic to marine organisms at higher concentrations
Near the wreck, there may be:
- minor impacts on sediment-dwelling organisms
- bioaccumulation in small amounts

But:

Levels detected have generally been below those causing large-scale ecological damage

Bigger risk: physical, not chemical

Authorities are far more concerned about:

Structural collapse of the wreck
Possible detonation risk

rather than ongoing chemical pollution.

Bottom line

There is some chemical leakage, but:

It’s slow, diluted, and localized
It hasn’t produced major, estuary-wide environmental damage
The explosion risk is considered a much bigger issue than chemical contamination

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