AN investigation has been launched into how a vessel laden with explosives was able to travel through the Thames Estuary – past a sunken wreck containing unexploded bombs.

The Swedish government held the Panama-flagged Turkish cargo ship Whiskey Trio, which had visited Sheerness allegedly carrying a cargo including tons of explosives, rockets and ammunition in 13 containers.

The shipment was transferred to another vessel, apparently bound for the Middle East, possibly Oman or the Yemen.

The Whiskey Trio left Sheerness on January 17 for Varberg, in Sweden, where it was held after investigators discovered bare cables and other fire risks, while fire protection systems were found to be deficient and containers incorrectly stowed.

The ship was released on February 8 and towed by tug to Esbjerg, in Denmark, where authorities will be investigating its activities.

However, the journey to the Kent port would have taken the vessel past the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery.

The US Liberty ship sank in the estuary in 1944 during the Second World War with a cargo of 1,400 tons of bombs and is considered a dangerous wreck.

One concerned ship watcher, who did not wish to be named, feared that if the Whiskey Trio had exploded it could have set off a chain reaction that involved the Montgomery.

He added: “Many rules must have been broken to bring such a rust-bucket of a ship into Sheerness and the general public of Swale and Southend have a right to know who it was that allowed such a dangerously loaded and unsafe ship to sail past the deteriorating bombs and TNT aboard the Richard Montgomery which lies just off Sheerness.

“To quote a Swedish inspector, ‘the ship could have exploded at any time’.”