00:00In terms of how the masts will be displayed, the most important thing is to remove them from the vessel
00:04intact to take them here to the historic dockyard to carry out that important preservation work.
00:09At that stage, we'll be able to make a decision about where they are best placed so that local communities
00:14can access them,
00:15but also that we can demonstrate this really important part of this part of England's World War II history and
00:20its maritime heritage.
00:21The SS Richard Montgomery was carrying munitions during its doomed voyage from the United States to Great Britain when it
00:33sank in the Thames estuary in 1944.
00:36Remarkably, 82 years later, the masts of the ship are still clearly visible in the Thames estuary as it lies
00:46still packed with explosives.
00:49Experts believe reducing the masts' height to below sea level will ease pressure on the wreck's structure and reduce the
00:58risk of heavy objects falling onto the munitions below.
01:02But their removal is also said to have come due to concerns over the risk of a drone attack or
01:08even underwater sabotage.
01:10The masts can remain in the UK. The local MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Kevin McKenna, has been really clear
01:16that for communities like Sheerness,
01:17these masts are part of the fabric of that town and the local community, so it's really important that they
01:23continue to remain in this part of the world.
01:25Really pleased that those conversations are ongoing with the Americans to facilitate this work.
01:29It shows the depths of the partnership between our two nations, both in the Second World War, but to the
01:34present day,
01:35and that means we can preserve these masts in the local community for decades to come.
01:39Well, there is an exclusion zone around the ship to make sure that nobody comes too close to it, but
01:46we're taking proactive steps now to make sure that its safety is preserved into the future by removing the masts.
01:51But, of course, that exclusion zone will remain in place for as long as it needs to, and all of
01:56the contingency plans around it to ensure its safety are under continuous review.
01:59One of the things we've taken a lot of pleasure for on this project is reinforcing the fact that the
02:05vessel was carrying safe-to-transport munitions.
02:08So, specifically, they weren't armed or fused during transport, so I'm not surprised that they've been sat in wet storage
02:16for 82 years and nothing's happened, which is good news.
02:20The reason we're doing something about it now is that the masts are in a window where they're likely to
02:27fail,
02:28and the Department for Transport is taking every step reasonable to reduce the hazard of a falling mast onto an
02:35explosive cargo.
02:36Yes, I'm absolutely delighted to be on the project, assisting the Department for Transport on what has largely been seen
02:43as an insuperable task for many years.
02:46It's good to see that coming to fruition this summer, the masts will be removed.
02:50I would be delighted if the risk was further reduced with the de-amunitioning of the vessel in due course.
