In 1945, U-864 Nazi submarine carrying 67 tonnes of mercury sank near an Scandinavian island, 81 years later it's still threatning Norway

A German U-boat sunk off Norway in 1945 is still posing an environmental challenge because it may contain up to 67 tonnes of mercury. The wreck of U-864 was carrying the toxic metal to Japan when it was torpedoed by a British submarine. An underwater operation in June 2026 recovered 22 mercury containers, but around 80% were leaking and some mercury escaped during the cleanup. Norway's Coastal Administration has now recommended covering the wreck rather than attempting to recover the remaining cargo.