Croatian Army rescues stranded Roman ship replica on Drava River

The Croatian Army has been deployed to assist in the rescue of an ancient Roman ship replica that became stranded on a sandbank in the Drava River near Osijek. The vessel, which is 18 metres long and weighs approximately six tonnes, was stranded due to sharply falling water levels caused by extreme temperatures.

Built by the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg with approximately €1 million in European Union funding, the replica is used for research into ancient waterways and historical navigation routes. Members of the Guards Armoured-Mechanised Brigade are performing engineering work to recover the vessel and prevent structural damage. The operation was authorized by Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić following a request for assistance from the German university. The ship is currently preserved in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum in Osijek.