Are shipwrecks a climate change timebomb?

Thousands of shipwrecks lie on the UK seabed, many forgotten and still mysterious.

Without knowing the cargo, experts say there is no way to know what threat they pose as they degrade.

As climate change increases storms and water temperature, metal tankers are breaking down faster.

A marine archaeologist said as these wrecks degrade "you could have the equivalent of a small oil tanker running aground," but the only way to find out what threat they pose is to survey all the ships and re-identify them, says Dr Michael Roberts, from Bangor University.

Edited by Tink Llewellyn

13 October 2024