Lost at Sea
The stories they left behind.
Every ship that sank was once a ship that sailed. Some went down in battle, some in a storm, some on a calm night against a reef no chart had shown, and some simply vanished.
Lost at Sea gathers 489 of them, from a Bronze Age trader off the coast of Turkey to the bulk carrier that ran aground off Mauritius in 2020. For each ship we give what she was, when and where she was lost, why she is remembered and where she lies today. Where the sources disagree on a date or a death toll, we show both. Every source is linked, and every photograph is credited to its author.
Marea can build any of these ships as she was on the day she sailed, with the maximum detail the records permit. Many of these wrecks are war graves or the resting place of those lost with them, and we build them with that in mind.
This database was put together by Ai Refloat™, Marea’s own artificial intelligence, from museums, heritage registers, archaeological reports, official inquiries, newspapers and encyclopaedias. Ai Refloat is still young & like any teenager, it can be a little volatile and unpredictable at times, but above all, it is learning fast. So this list may well contain mistakes and we welcome the input of everyone who knows these ships better than we do.
Have you spotted a mistake, or is a wreck missing? Tell us which ship and what to correct, and we will amend it accordingly. Tell us here
The ships
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Old Kingdom Egypt
Khufu ship Never lost at sea
Buried about 2500 BC · Pit beside the Great Pyramid, Giza, Egypt
The ship Egyptian royal barque (solar barque), burial ship, Old Kingdom Egypt
Built About 2500 BC, Fourth Dynasty
Size 43.4 m long, 5.9 m wide, 1.78 m deep; 1,224 pieces
Not lost at sea: the cedar ship was dismantled and sealed into a pit beside Khufu's pyramid.
Why she is remembered A complete Old Kingdom royal vessel, reassembled from 1,224 pieces.
The wreck today Found in 1954 by Kamal el-Mallakh; rebuilt by Ahmed Youssef Moustafa; shown at the Giza Solar Boat Museum from 1982 and moved in August 2021 to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Sources differ Its purpose is debated: funeral barge, pilgrimage vessel or purely symbolic.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Bronze Age Britain
Dover Bronze Age Boat Never lost at sea
About 1550 BC (radiocarbon 1575 to 1520 BC) · Channel of the River Dour, Dover, Kent, England, now about 200 m inland and 6 m below ground
The ship Sewn oak plank boat, yew lashings, Bronze Age Britain
Size 9.5 m recovered; originally about 14 m long; 2 m wide
Not wrecked: the boat was laid up in a side channel of the Dour, still in good condition, and its yew stitches were deliberately cut so it could not be used again.
Why she is remembered A contender for the oldest seagoing boat found in Europe.
The wreck today Found on 28 September 1992 by Norwest Holst road workers with the Canterbury Archaeological Trust during A20 works; reassembled and displayed at Dover Museum since 1998. Part remains underground.
Sources differ Scholars debate whether it or the older Ferriby boats is Europe's oldest seagoing craft.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Jim Linwood from London, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Unknown (Late Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean)
Uluburun shipwreck Reef and rocks
Late 14th century BC (dendrochronology about 1327 BC; radiocarbon 1320 BC plus or minus 15) · Uluburun (Grand Cape), off the Turquoise Coast, Bay of Antalya, southern Turkey, Mediterranean; 36.12861 N 29.68583 E; 44 to 52 m deep, finds to 61 m
The ship Late Bronze Age wooden single-masted sailing merchant ship, steered by a side oar, Unknown (Late Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean)
Size About 15 to 16 m long
A Late Bronze Age merchant ship carrying about ten tons of copper in 354 oxhide ingots, about a ton of tin, 175 glass ingots, 149 Canaanite jars of Pistacia resin, ivory, weapons and jewellery struck the headland at Uluburun, perhaps driven by wind, and sank.
Why she is remembered One of the richest Bronze Age wrecks ever found, a snapshot of trade between Egypt, the Levant, Cyprus and the Aegean; a gold scarab with the name of Nefertiti helps date it.
The wreck today Found in summer 1982 by sponge diver Mehmed Cakir; excavated in eleven campaigns from 1984 to 1994 (22,413 dives), directed by George F. Bass (1984) and Cemal Pulak (1985 to 1994). Finds and a reconstruction are shown at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
Sources differ Dating: dendrochronology suggests about 1327 BC; radiocarbon gives 1320 BC plus or minus 15 years.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Cape Gelidonya shipwreck Other causes
About 1200 BC · Cape Gelidonya, Teke Peninsula, southern Anatolia, Turkey, between the Gulf of Antalya and the Bay of Finike; about 27 m deep on a rocky bottom
The ship Late Bronze Age merchant ship
A small trading ship carrying copper and tin ingots, scrap copper, Mycenaean pottery and merchant weights sank off Cape Gelidonya around 1200 BC.
Why she is remembered Its 1960 excavation is described as the first archaeological excavation of an underwater shipwreck in its entirety.
The wreck today Located in 1954; excavated from 1960 by Peter Throckmorton, George F. Bass, Joan du Plat Taylor and Frederic Dumas.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Phoenician
Mazarron II Other causes
7th to 6th century BC (refined to about 625 to 570 BC) · Off Playa de la Isla, Mazarron, Murcia, Spain; 37 33 34 N 1 16 06 W
The ship Phoenician trading boat, Phoenician
Size 8.1 m long, 2.5 m beam
A small Phoenician boat sank carrying 2,820 kg of litharge, a by-product of silver production, with pottery, a wooden and lead anchor and a basket. Her sister wreck Mazarron I lay nearby.
Why she is remembered One of the few Phoenician-era shipwrecks still largely intact.
The wreck today Found in 1994 about 200 ft off the beach, about six feet below the surface, and protected under a metal box, which by 2017 to 2019 was sinking onto the hull; raised September to November 2024. Both Mazarron wrecks are at the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology (ARQUA), Cartagena.
Sources Wikipedia · smithsonianmag.com
Image: Nanosanchez, edited by MagentaGreen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Greek
Porticello shipwreck Other causes
End of the 5th century BC · Strait of Messina, between Sicily and mainland Italy
The ship Greek merchant ship, Greek
A Greek ship carrying bronze sculpture sank in the Strait of Messina; fragments include the head of a bearded man known as the Philosopher of Porticello.
Why she is remembered Source of one of the earliest known Greek portrait heads in bronze.
The wreck today Found in 1969. The head is in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia, Reggio Calabria.
Sources differ Dates for the head range from about 460 to 440 BC to the late 4th or early 3rd century BC.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Ma'agan Michael Ship Other causes
About 400 BC · About 75 m off Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael, about 35 km south of Haifa, Israel, Mediterranean, in shallow water
The ship Merchant ship, probably Cypriot
Built 5th century BC
Size 11 m long, 4 m wide, about 20 tons displacement
A small trading ship, showing no shipworm damage or wear and so perhaps lost on or soon after its maiden voyage, sank off the Carmel coast with about seventy pots, woodworking tools, rope and food stores.
Why she is remembered A well preserved Classical-era hull, reassembled for display; a working replica was launched in Haifa Bay on 17 March 2017.
The wreck today Found in autumn 1985 by Ami Eshel; excavated by the University of Haifa under Elisha Linder with Jay Rosloff of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Reassembled hull displayed at the Hecht Museum, University of Haifa, since March 1999.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Classical Greek eastern Mediterranean (cargo from Chios)
Mazotos shipwreck Other causes
4th century BC (about 350 BC) · Off Mazotos, south coast of Cyprus, eastern Mediterranean, at about 45 m
The ship Ancient Greek merchant ship (classified by MASS as a corbita), Classical Greek eastern Mediterranean (cargo from Chios)
Size About 16 m by 6 m
A merchant ship carrying a cargo of about 500 to 800 amphoras, mostly from the island of Chios and mostly holding wine, sank off the south coast of Cyprus. At least one amphora held olive pits, probably food for the crew. Her hull joins the garboard, stempost and keel with both ligatures and mortise and tenon joints, combining Greek and Phoenician shipbuilding methods.
Why she is remembered She fills a gap in Mediterranean seafaring history between known wrecks of the 5th and 3rd centuries BC.
The wreck today Researched from 2007 and excavated in seven seasons up to 2018 by the Maritime Archaeological Research Laboratory (MARELab) of the University of Cyprus under Dr Stella Demesticha with the Cyprus Department of Antiquities; by 2018, 99 amphoras had been recorded under the foredeck. Finds include lead anchor stocks and are conserved in the university's Laboratory for the Conservation of Maritime Antiquities (set up 2010).
Sources differ Cargo given as about 500 to 800 amphoras (MASS); number of seasons given as three from 2010 (MASS) or seven to 2018 (University of Cyprus).
Sources ucy.ac.cy · mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl · mastermariners.org.au
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Carthage
Marsala Punic ship War
Mid 3rd century BC, probably 241 BC · Off Isola Lunga near Marsala, western Sicily; 37 48 04 N 12 25 36 E
The ship Carthaginian (Punic) oared warship (galley); a 'Sister Ship' merchant vessel lay nearby, Carthage
Built Punic inscriptions suggest 300 to 260 BC
Size About 35 m overall, 30 m keel, 4.8 m wide, about 120 tonnes
A Carthaginian warship sank off western Sicily in the mid third century BC; it is believed to have been lost in the Battle of the Aegates, 241 BC, when Rome defeated Carthage and ended the First Punic War.
Why she is remembered A rare excavated Carthaginian warship, with Punic inscriptions on her timbers, linked to the battle that ended the First Punic War.
The wreck today Found in 1969 by dredge captain Diego Bonnini; excavated 1971 to 1974 by Honor Frost, final report 1981. Reconstructed hull shown at the Baglio Anselmi regional archaeological museum, Marsala; the Sister Ship was reburied.
Sources differ Radiocarbon gives about 235 BC plus or minus 65; inscriptions suggest construction 300 to 260 BC; the battle link is an inference.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman era
Antikythera wreck Other causes
About 80 to 70 BC (coins minted 76 to 67 BC) · Off Point Glyphadia, Antikythera, Greece; 35.8897 N 23.3078 E; about 45 m deep, debris to about 70 m
The ship Roman-era merchant ship, Roman era
A large cargo ship laden with Greek bronze and marble statues, luxury goods and the geared Antikythera mechanism sank off Antikythera in the first century BC.
Why she is remembered Source of the Antikythera mechanism, described as an ancient analogue computer, and of the bronze Antikythera Youth and the Philosopher head.
The wreck today Found around Easter 1900 by Symi sponge divers under Captain Dimitrios Kondos; diver Elias Stadiatis first saw it. Jacques Cousteau visited in 1953 and worked there in 1976. Surveys and excavations by Brendan Foley and the Greek authorities from 2012, including a human skeleton found in 2016. Finds in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
Sources differ Radiocarbon dating of hull planks gave 220 BC plus or minus 43 years, older than the coins and pottery; explained as old timber.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Republic
Madrague de Giens wreck Other causes
About 75 to 60 BC · Off La Madrague de Giens, Giens Peninsula, near Toulon, France, Mediterranean; 18 to 20 m deep
The ship Roman merchant ship (ponto, myriophoros), Roman Republic
Size 40 m long, 9 m beam, 4.5 m deep; about 400 tons deadweight, 520 tons displacement
A large Roman freighter carrying about 6,000 to 6,500 amphorae of wine from Terracina, stacked three layers deep, with Campanian black-glaze pottery, sank off the Giens peninsula. Ancient divers soon removed about half the amphorae.
Why she is remembered One of the largest Roman merchant ships known and the first large-scale truly scientific underwater excavation in France.
The wreck today Found in 1967 by the French Navy diving school; excavated 1972 to 1982 under Andre Tchernia and Patrice Pomey. A model is shown at the Museum of Ancient Seafaring, Mainz.
Sources differ The ship article gives about 75 to 60 BC; the Wikipedia list of 1st millennium shipwrecks gives about AD 60.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman era
Mahdia shipwreck Storm
Between about 80 and 60 BC · Off Mahdia, Tunisia, Mediterranean
The ship Roman-era cargo ship, Roman era
A ship carrying Greek marble and bronze sculpture, marble columns, furniture fittings and architectural elements was presumably driven by a storm onto the North African coast and sank.
Why she is remembered Its art cargo, including a bronze herm of Dionysus signed by Boethos, is a centrepiece of the Bardo museum.
The wreck today Found in June 1907 by Greek sponge fishermen; most sculptures salvaged 1907 to 1913 under Alfred Merlin. Finds in the Musee National du Bardo, Tunis, restored with the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn.
Sources differ Earlier dating linked the cargo to Sulla's sack of Athens in 86 BC; recent research lowers the date to perhaps 60 BC.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Late Hellenistic or Roman eastern Mediterranean
Kızılburun column wreck Other causes
Third quarter of the 1st century BC · Kızılburun ('Crimson Cape'), Aegean coast of Turkey south of Izmir, about 50 km from Claros; 45 to 48 m deep
The ship Ancient stone carrier (marble transport ship), Late Hellenistic or Roman eastern Mediterranean
Size Cargo about 60 tonnes
Carrying eight marble column drums of Proconnesian marble from the Sea of Marmara, each about 1 m tall, 1.5 to 1.8 m in diameter and 6 to 7 tonnes, plus a Doric capital, she sank about 50 km short of her probable destination, the Temple of Apollo at Claros. Her cargo also included rough marble blocks, basins, mortars, stelai and about two dozen amphoras.
Why she is remembered A rare direct witness to how the ancients moved monumental architecture by sea, linking a wreck to a known temple building project.
The wreck today Excavated in five seasons from 2005 to 2011 by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (Texas A&M), directed by Deborah Carlson and Donny Hamilton; the drums were raised with lift bags and taken to INA's research centre in Bodrum for conservation and study.
Sources academia.edu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Judaea
Sea of Galilee Boat Other causes
1st century BC to 1st century AD · North-west shore of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Ginosar, Israel
The ship Fishing boat (also known as the Ancient Galilee Boat or 'Jesus Boat'), Roman Judaea
Size 8.2 m long, 2.3 m wide, 1.3 m preserved height
A first-century working fishing boat ended up in the lake mud where it was preserved.
Why she is remembered A rare surviving boat of first-century Galilee; popularly called the Jesus Boat, though nothing links it to Jesus.
The wreck today Found in 1986 during a drought by brothers Moshe and Yuval Lufan; excavated in 12 days; soaked in wax for 12 years. On display at the Yigal Allon Galilee Boat Museum, Ginosar.
Sources differ Radiocarbon gives 40 BC plus or minus 80 years; pottery and construction suggest 50 BC to AD 50.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Travellers & Tinkers, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman (Augustan period)
Comacchio Roman ship (Valle Ponti wreck) Other causes
Between 19 and 12 BC · Valle Ponti, near Comacchio, Italy (former Po delta coast, now reclaimed land)
The ship Flat-bottomed Roman sewn-plank merchant ship for river, lagoon and coastal trade, Roman (Augustan period)
Size 21.0 m long, about 5.60 m wide
Probably carrying cargo transshipped from a larger seagoing merchantman, she sank in the ancient Po delta with 102 lead ingots weighing 3.1 tonnes, some stamped AGRIP for Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, amphoras of wine from Aeolis, Caria and Kos, fine tableware, timber and the belongings of her crew. Finds of soldiers' footwear, a decorated sword and a dagger sheath suggest a military escort, and six miniature lead temples carry Augustan imagery.
Why she is remembered One of the best preserved Roman merchant ships in Italy, whose finds give a vivid picture of everyday life aboard, including women's and children's shoes. Lead isotope analysis published in 2021 traced the ingots to Macedonia.
The wreck today Found in autumn 1980 during dredging of the Canale Collettore, excavated in 1981 and recovered between 1986 and 1989. The hull is kept in a conservation tank (25 by 6 by 3 m) at Palazzo Bellini, Comacchio, not on public display; the cargo is shown in the Museo Delta Antico in Comacchio.
Sources differ Origin of the lead ingots: Spain (older accounts, questionecivile.it) versus Macedonia (2021 isotope study reported by Archeomatica). One source says the hull was left in situ underwater; another says it was removed in 1986 to 1988 and is stored at Palazzo Bellini.
Sources archeomatica.it · radiocaffecriminale.it · questionecivile.it
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Empire
Alkedo Other causes
1st century AD · Pisa San Rossore, Pisa, Italy (ancient river harbour)
The ship Roman rowing boat or pleasure craft for twelve oarsmen, Roman Empire
Built Holm oak and pine, painted red and white
A light Roman rowing boat sank in the harbour area of ancient Pisa. Her name, ALKEDO (seagull), survives on a tablet fixed to a rower's bench.
Why she is remembered A rare Roman boat whose own name is known; flagship of the Museum of Ancient Ships of Pisa.
The wreck today Found in 1998 with about thirty other wrecks during building works at Pisa San Rossore station; displayed at the Museum of Ancient Ships, Pisa, with a full-size replica.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Empire
Arles Rhone 3 Other causes
1st century AD · River Rhone at Arles, France
The ship Roman flat-bottomed river barge (chaland), Roman Empire
Size 31.09 m long
A Roman river barge sank in the Rhone at Arles; amphorae and a marble statue of Neptune were recovered from the wreck.
Why she is remembered A complete Roman river trading barge, raised and displayed whole.
The wreck today Found in 2004; raised and on display since 2013 at the Musee departemental Arles antique.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Empire
Bou Ferrer Other causes
Mid 1st century AD, in the reign of Nero · Off Villajoyosa, Alicante, Spain (Mediterranean), about 1 km from shore, at about 25 m
The ship Roman merchant ship (amphora carrier), Roman Empire
Built Reportedly built in a Neapolis (Naples) shipyard (National Geographic Historia)
Size About 30 m long; about 230 tons burden
Sailing from a port near Cádiz, probably for Rome or Narbonne, she carried about 2,500 to 3,000 Dressel 7 to 11 amphoras of fish sauce made from anchovy, mackerel and horse mackerel, and lead ingots stamped with imperial marks (IMP. GER. AVG) of the emperor. She sank off the coast of Villajoyosa.
Why she is remembered Called the largest Roman ship under excavation in the Mediterranean, with an exceptionally preserved hull. She is named after the sport divers José Bou and Antoine Ferrer who found her, and was the first underwater site proposed as a Bien de Interés Cultural in Spain.
The wreck today Under excavation since 2006, with research campaigns led by the Valencian heritage authority, Villajoyosa council, Vilamuseu and the University of Alicante from 2012. Protected since 2001; BIC procedure begun in 2014. Guided dives for divers are offered, presented as the only visitable wreck in Spain.
Sources differ Discovery year 1999 (National Geographic, patrimoniosubacuatico) versus 2001 (bouferrer.org). Amphoras about 2,500 (estimate) versus about 3,000 found to date. Each amphora held about 40 kg or about 40 litres.
Sources historia.nationalgeographic.com.es · bouferrer.org · patrimoniosubacuatico.net
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Republic
Grand Congloué 2 Reef and rocks
About 110 to 70 BC · Foot of the Grand Congloué islet, Riou archipelago, south of Marseille, France (Mediterranean), 32 to 45 m deep, partly above Grand Congloué 1
The ship Ancient Roman Republican merchant ship (wine carrier), Roman Republic
About a century after the first wreck, a second ship was lost at the same reef with more than a thousand Italic wine amphoras, most stamped SES for the Sestii family, landowners at Cosa in Etruria. She also carried Campanian black-gloss pottery, thin-walled wares, Hellenistic relief bowls and oil lamps.
Why she is remembered Her SES stamped amphoras made the Sestius family a classic case study of Roman wine exports. The Cousteau and Benoît excavation of 1952 to 1957 at first mistook the two wrecks for one; Luc Long separated them in 1987.
The wreck today Excavated 1952 to 1957, re-examined 1980 (DRASSM) and 1991 to 1992 (wood sampling). Finds in the Musée des Docks Romains and the Musée d'Histoire de Marseille; site in a protected no-diving zone of the Calanques National Park.
Sources atlaspalm.fr · blog.francis-leguen.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Britain
Blackfriars Ship I Collision
2nd century AD · River Thames at Blackfriars, City of London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge
The ship Romano-British seagoing sailing barge, flat-bottomed, frame-first, Roman Britain
Size 52 to 55 ft long, 6 m wide
Laden with 26 tons of Kentish ragstone, the ship listed to port and sank, probably after a collision with another vessel. A bronze coin of Domitian had been placed in the mast step for luck.
Why she is remembered Described as the earliest known indigenous seagoing sailing ship found in northern Europe.
The wreck today Found on 6 September 1962 by Peter Marsden during embankment works.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Republic (cargo from the Naples region)
Grand Congloué 1 Reef and rocks
About 200 to 190 BC · Foot of the Grand Congloué islet, Riou archipelago, south of Marseille, France (Mediterranean), 32 to 45 m deep
The ship Ancient Roman Republican merchant ship (wine and pottery carrier), Roman Republic (cargo from the Naples region)
Probably sailing from the Naples region toward Massalia (Marseille), she was wrecked at the foot of a dangerous reef. She carried about 400 Greco-Italic wine amphoras, some 30 to 40 Greek (Rhodian) amphoras and about 7,000 pieces of black-gloss Campanian A pottery; one amphora bears the stamp TI.Q.IVENT(I).
Why she is remembered Excavated from 1952 to 1957 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau's Calypso team under Professor Fernand Benoît, one of the first underwater archaeological excavations in history, which pioneered the suction airlift. For decades it was thought to be one ship; in 1987 Luc Long showed that two wrecks lay one above the other.
The wreck today Excavated; finds in the Musée des Docks Romains and the Musée d'Histoire de Marseille, with DRASSM as conservation depot. The site lies in the 'Cousteau triangle' in the Calanques National Park, a zone closed to diving except by special permit.
Sources differ Greek amphoras given as about 40 or about 30.
Sources atlaspalm.fr · blog.francis-leguen.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Iron Age Scandinavia
Nydam Boat Never lost at sea
Deposited as a votive offering after AD 310 to 320, within the bog's votive period of AD 200 to 400 · Nydam Bog, near Oster Sottrup, Sundeved, Denmark
The ship Clinker-built oak rowing ship, 14 pairs of oars, Iron Age Scandinavia
Built Dendro dated to AD 310 to 320
Size 23 m long, about 3.5 m wide, over three tonnes; crew about 45
Not lost at sea: the boat was deliberately sunk in a bog as an offering to the Germanic gods.
Why she is remembered A rare Iron Age rowing ship of the North, lost to Denmark after war: after the 1864 war it passed to Prussia, and a second pine boat was chopped up for firewood by troops.
The wreck today Excavated by Conrad Engelhardt in 1859 to 1863 (found 17 August 1863); displayed at Gottorf Castle, Schleswig, Germany.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Yassi Ada 4th-century wreck Reef and rocks
4th century AD · Yassi Ada islet near Bodrum, Turkey, Aegean; 36 to 42 m deep
The ship Late Roman (early Byzantine) merchant ship
Size 19 m long; cypress hull, white oak keel
A merchant ship carrying about 1,100 amphorae of three types was wrecked on the reef at Yassi Ada.
Why she is remembered One of the early wrecks excavated by George Bass, part of the reef's long sequence of wrecks.
The wreck today Excavated 1967 and 1969 by George Bass with the University of Pennsylvania Museum and National Geographic Society; finds at Bodrum Castle.
Sources differ The cause is inferred from the reef location.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Pre-Roman Iron Age Scandinavia
Hjortspring boat Never lost at sea
Radiocarbon dated 381 to 161 BC · Hjortspring Mose bog, island of Als, Sonderjylland, southern Denmark
The ship Sewn-plank war canoe, Pre-Roman Iron Age Scandinavia
Size Over 19 m overall, 13.6 m inside, 2 m wide, about 530 kg
Not lost at sea: the boat was deliberately sunk in a bog as an offering, with sacrificed animals and a large deposit of weapons, including 131 shields, 138 iron spearheads and 11 swords.
Why she is remembered The oldest wooden plank ship found in Scandinavia; a full-size reconstruction, Tilia Alsie, was launched in 1999.
The wreck today Excavated 1921 to 1922; held by the National Museum of Denmark.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Knud Winckelmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Byzantine Empire
Yenikapı shipwrecks (Theodosian Harbour), principally Yenikapı 12 Other causes
5th to 11th centuries AD (individual losses at different dates) · Theodosian Harbour (Harbour of Theodosius), Yenikapı quarter, historic peninsula of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Sea of Marmara (now on land)
The ship Group of 37 Byzantine wrecks: 23 merchant ships of various sizes and 4 galleys among them; Yenikapı 12 is a small coastal merchantman with a single mast and lateen sail, Byzantine Empire
Built 5th to 11th centuries AD; Yenikapı 12 dated to the 9th century (radiocarbon AD 672 to 876)
Size Yenikapı 12 about 9.60 m long and 2.60 m wide (7 m preserved); the largest, Yenikapı 22, about 14 m by 3.4 m
The ships sank or were abandoned over several centuries in the Theodosian Harbour of Constantinople, which slowly silted up and was buried. They were brought to light by salvage excavations of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums in the Yenikapı quarter from 2004 to 2013. Yenikapı 12 still held her cargo of amphoras and the captain's personal belongings.
Why she is remembered The largest collection of medieval ships ever found at a single site, transforming knowledge of Byzantine shipbuilding, including the first Byzantine galleys. Istanbul University studied 27 of the wrecks and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology 8.
The wreck today Excavated 2004 to 2013; timbers conserved with PEG and freeze-drying at Istanbul University's research centre. A full-scale replica of Yenikapı 12 was planned (launch planned for 2015) and an exhibition of the ship was in preparation.
Sources differ Total given as 37 wrecks (most sources) or 36 wrecks of the 5th to 10th centuries (one Istanbul University paper).
Sources academia.edu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Kingdom of East Anglia
Sutton Hoo ship Never lost at sea
Buried 610 to 635 · Mound 1, Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England
The ship Anglo-Saxon clinker-built rowing ship, burial ship (Mound 1), Kingdom of East Anglia
Size 27 m long, 4.4 m beam; about 40 oars
Not lost at sea: the ship was dragged inland and buried with rich grave goods, probably for King Raedwald of East Anglia.
Why she is remembered A famous Anglo-Saxon royal ship burial; the 1939 dig is the subject of the 2021 film The Dig.
The wreck today Excavated in 1939 by Basil Brown, then Charles Phillips. The wood had rotted away, leaving an impression and rivets. Treasures at the British Museum; a full-size replica is being built.
Sources differ Raedwald is favoured; the British Museum says only a king of East Anglia.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Yassi Ada 7th-century Byzantine wreck Reef and rocks
About AD 625 · Yassi Ada reef near Bodrum, Turkey, Aegean; 32 to 39 m deep, partly lying over an older wreck
The ship Byzantine merchant ship
Size About 21 m long
A Byzantine trading ship carrying about 900 pitch-lined amphorae of wine sank on the reef, coming to rest partly over an older wreck. A steelyard is inscribed with the name of her captain, Georgios, described as a priest. She had a tiled galley with a chimney and a crew of perhaps four or five.
Why she is remembered Her hull shows a transitional stage between shell-first and skeleton-first construction; excavated by George Bass in the early years of nautical archaeology.
The wreck today Found by Kemal Aras; excavated 1961 to 1964 under George Bass of the University of Pennsylvania, in 3,533 dives. A reconstruction is shown at Bodrum Castle (Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology).
Sources differ The cause is inferred from the reef location. The Institute of Nautical Archaeology dates the wreck to AD 625; Wikipedia gives the 7th century.
Sources Wikipedia · nauticalarch.org
Image: Georges Jansoone (JoJan), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Precolonial Philippines (Butuan)
Butuan boats (balangays) Other causes
7th to 10th centuries AD (AMS radiocarbon 689 to 988) · Near the Masao River, Butuan, Agusan del Norte, Philippines
The ship Lashed-lug plank boats (balangay), Precolonial Philippines (Butuan)
Size Typically 10 to 11.5 m long, about 4 m wide; Butuan Boat 9, the 'mother boat', about twice that size
Trading boats of the precolonial port of Butuan were left in the river silts, together with trade goods from East and Southeast Asia and as far as Persia.
Why she is remembered Declared National Cultural Treasures in 1987; the balangay was named the National Boat of the Philippines in 2015. Replicas such as Diwata ng Lahi sailed around Southeast Asia in 2009 to 2011.
The wreck today Nine boats found by treasure hunters in the late 1970s, at least eleven since; Boats 1 and 5 shown at the National Museum in Butuan and Boat 2 kept at the National Museum of Anthropology, Manila.
Sources differ Radiocarbon dates from the 1970s and 1980s were unreliable and have been superseded.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Saint Gervais II wreck Other causes
7th century AD (coin of 611 to 612) · Off Fos-sur-Mer, France, Mediterranean
The ship Merchant ship, early example of frame-first construction
A ship carrying wheat in bulk and African spatheion amphorae sank off Fos; much of its cargo was salvaged at the time.
Why she is remembered Argued to be an early frame-first hull and to contain possibly the earliest bilge pump yet found.
The wreck today Found in 1978 during harbour dredging at Fos-sur-Mer.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Norway (start of the Viking Age)
Kvalsund ship Never lost at sea
Late 8th century · Kvalsund, Heroy, near Alesund, Norway
The ship Rowing ship, Norway (start of the Viking Age)
Built About AD 780 to 800
Size 18 m long
Not lost at sea: the ship was deliberately broken and placed in a pond or bog as an offering, with a smaller 9.5 m rowing boat.
Why she is remembered A transitional vessel between pre-Viking rowing ships and Viking Age sailing ships.
The wreck today Found in a marsh in June 1920; held by the Sunnmore Museum, Alesund.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Belitung shipwreck Other causes
About AD 830 · About 1.6 km off Belitung Island, Gelasa Strait, Indonesia, Java Sea; 17 m deep
The ship Arab dhow
Size About 18 m long, 6.4 m wide
An Arab ship returning from China towards the Middle East sank off Belitung carrying more than 60,000 objects, chiefly Tang dynasty ceramics including Changsha bowls, and gold and silver ware.
Why she is remembered The first ancient Arab ship found and excavated, evidence of direct sea trade between Arabia and Tang China. A reconstruction, the Jewel of Muscat, was built in Oman.
The wreck today Found by local fishermen in 1998 and salvaged by Tilman Walterfang's Seabed Explorations in 1998 and 1999. The Tang Treasure is shown at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore (Khoo Teck Puat Gallery, from 2015).
Sources differ Commercial salvage was criticised by archaeologists; the Smithsonian postponed a planned 2012 exhibition.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Viking Age Norway
Gokstad ship Never lost at sea
Buried about AD 900 (after 890) · Gokstad burial mound, Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway
The ship Viking ship (karve), clinker built, burial ship, Viking Age Norway
Built Timber felled about AD 890
Size 23.80 m long, 5.10 m wide
Aboard Burial of a man aged 40 to 50, with horses, dogs, a peacock and three small boats
Not lost at sea: the ship was hauled ashore and buried in a mound as the grave of a high-status man. Anton Brogger suggested King Olaf Gudrodson; this is unproven.
Why she is remembered Called the finest and best preserved Viking longship; her replica Viking crossed the Atlantic to the 1893 Chicago exposition, and the replica Gaia sailed to North America in 1991.
The wreck today Found in 1880 by the farm owner's sons and excavated by Nicolay Nicolaysen. Displayed in the Viking Ship Museum, Bygdoy, Oslo.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Viking Age Norway
Tune ship Never lost at sea
Buried about AD 900 · Haugen farm, Rolvsoy, Tune parish, Ostfold, Norway
The ship Viking ship (karve), burial ship, Viking Age Norway
Built About AD 900
Size About 18.7 m long, 4.2 m wide, keel about 14 m; 11 to 12 pairs of oars
Not lost at sea: the ship was buried in a mound as a grave, which had been robbed before it was excavated.
Why she is remembered One of the Viking burial ships displayed in Oslo alongside the Gokstad and Oseberg ships.
The wreck today Excavated in 1867 by Oluf Rygh; displayed at the Viking Ship Museum, Bygdoy, Oslo.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Anglo-Saxon England (cross-Channel and North Sea trade)
Graveney Boat Other causes
Abandoned in the 10th century (exact date unknown) · Hammond's Drain, Graveney Marshes, near Faversham, Kent, England
The ship Anglo-Saxon clinker-built oak cargo boat, Anglo-Saxon England (cross-Channel and North Sea trade)
Built About AD 895 by dendrochronology (revised 1983, plus or minus 2 years); earlier dating gave AD 927 or AD 944
Size Original length estimated at 13.60 m (about 40 ft), beam 4 m (about 10 ft), about 1 m high amidships; surviving remains 8.9 m long, 3.4 m wide, up to 1.5 m high; capacity about 6 to 7 tonnes
A flat-keeled oak boat of eight strakes on ten frames, her overlapping planks held by iron rivets and caulked with wool treated with vegetable tar, she was used for coastal and cross-Channel trade. She ended her days in a silted watercourse in the Kent marshes, under about 2 metres of soil. Traces of her cargo included hops and fragments of Mayen lava querns from the Rhineland.
Why she is remembered Described as the only vessel of her kind to survive, she is a rare witness to late Anglo-Saxon seafaring and trade with the Rhineland. A half-length sailing replica, Ottor, built by Edwin Gifford in 1988, suggested a crew of about four.
The wreck today Found in 1970 during widening and deepening of Hammond's Drain; lifted in an urgent rescue by the National Maritime Museum, conserved and stabilised by the Mary Rose Trust, and held by the National Maritime Museum. The replica Ottor was donated to the Faversham Creek Trust in 2015.
Sources differ Build date about AD 895 (dendrochronology) versus AD 927 or AD 944 by other methods.
Sources mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl · gracesguide.co.uk · favershamcreektrust.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Intan wreck Other causes
Mid 10th century · Java Sea, about 40 nautical miles off Sumatra between Bangka and Jakarta, Indonesia; 26 m deep
The ship Indonesian lashed-lug ship
A Southeast Asian trading ship sank carrying Chinese ceramics, Thai pottery, bronze, tin, lead and silver ingots, gold jewellery, bronze religious objects, Arab glass and elephant tusks.
Why she is remembered A rich witness to the varied trade of tenth-century Indonesia, with goods from China, Thailand and the Arab world.
The wreck today Found by Indonesian fishermen; excavated in 1997 by an Indonesian licensee with Seabed Explorations, directed by Michael Flecker. Much of the cargo is on display at the Ceramics Museum, Jakarta.
Sources mdflecker.wixsite.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Viking Age Denmark
Ladby ship Never lost at sea
Buried early 10th century · Ladby, near Kerteminde, north-east Funen, Denmark
The ship Viking ship burial, Viking Age Denmark
Not lost at sea: a chieftain was buried in his ship with eleven horses, dogs and grave goods; the grave was later broken into and damaged.
Why she is remembered A Viking chieftain's ship grave with its grave goods and animals, now a museum site.
The wreck today Found on 28 February 1935 by pharmacist Poul Helweg Mikkelsen; displayed at the Viking Museum Ladby (Museums of Eastern Funen), with a full-scale reconstruction since 2007.
Sources differ The damage is explained either as a conversion to Christian burial or as political desecration, perhaps by Harald Bluetooth or Sweyn Forkbeard.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks
Cirebon shipwreck Other causes
About AD 970 (from coins) · Java Sea, about 100 km off Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia; about 54 m deep
The ship Western Austronesian (Southeast Asian) trading ship
Built Probably near the Strait of Malacca
Size About 30 m long
A much repaired Southeast Asian ship sank in the Java Sea carrying Five Dynasties Chinese ceramics, Near Eastern glass, gems and metal ingots.
Why she is remembered A key witness to tenth-century Maritime Silk Road trade.
The wreck today Found by fishermen in 2003; salvaged by a private company 2004 to 2006. Indonesia kept 10% of the 76,000 intact artefacts for its museums and the rest went to auction in 2006.
Sources differ About 250,000 artefacts recovered in total versus 76,000 intact pieces; archaeologists opposed the sale.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Byzantine
Serce Limani shipwreck (Glass Wreck) Storm
About AD 1025 · Serce Limani bay, south-west Turkey opposite Rhodes, Mediterranean; 36 34 25 N 28 03 08 E
The ship Small two-masted lateen-rigged merchant ship, Byzantine
Size About 15 m long, 5.3 m wide
A Byzantine trader carrying about three tons of Islamic glass cullet from the Fatimid Syrian coast, glazed bowls and spices lost its anchor when the iron shank snapped in a sudden gale, drifted and sank on the rocky shore.
Why she is remembered Famous for its tons of Islamic glass, a rare picture of trade between the Fatimid Levant and Byzantium.
The wreck today Found by Donald Frey; excavated 1977 to 1979 by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology; work resumed in July 2023. Glass displayed at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Viking Age Denmark
Roskilde 6 Other causes
11th century · Roskilde, Denmark
The ship Viking longship (warship), Viking Age Denmark
Built About 1025
Size About 37 m long
One of nine ships, mostly dated 1060 to 1350, found at Roskilde in excavations of the late 1990s.
Why she is remembered The longest Viking ship ever found.
The wreck today Excavated in the late 1990s in what the museum calls the largest such find of ships in northern Europe; held by the Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Medieval Netherlands
Utrecht ship Never lost at sea
Early 11th century · Van Hoornekade, northern Utrecht, Netherlands
The ship Early medieval cargo vessel, Medieval Netherlands
Built Between 997 and 1030 (dendrochronology), local oak
Size 17.8 m long, 3.8 m wide, 0.7 m draught; about 13 tons
A cargo ship built around the year 1000 was buried in the ground of northern Utrecht, where it was found in 1930.
Why she is remembered A key find for early medieval ship types in the Low Countries; first mistaken for a Roman ship.
The wreck today Found on 3 December 1930; on public display since 1936, now in the Centraal Museum, Utrecht.
Sources differ Excavators first believed it was Roman; tree-ring analysis in the late 1950s showed it was medieval.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Anglo-Norman (Kingdom of England and Duchy of Normandy)
White Ship Reef and rocks
25 November 1120 · Quilleboeuf rock off Barfleur, Normandy, English Channel
The ship Sailing ship, newly refitted, Anglo-Norman (Kingdom of England and Duchy of Normandy)
Aboard About 300
Lives lost All but one; the single survivor was Berold, a butcher of Rouen
Captain Thomas FitzStephen offered his ship to Henry I. With crew and young nobles drinking, the captain tried to overtake the king's ship at night; the port side struck the submerged Quilleboeuf rock and she capsized.
Why she is remembered The death of William Adelin, Henry I's only legitimate son, caused the succession crisis that led to the civil war called the Anarchy (1138 to 1153). It appears in Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and in poems by Rossetti and others.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, for the Corporation of the City of London, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Denmark (built of south Jutland oak)
Kollerup cog Other causes
12th century (after about 1150) · Kollerup Strand, Vigsø Bay, north Jutland, Denmark, about 125 km southwest of Skagen; now in a silted-up area
The ship Early medieval cog (clinker sided, flat-bottomed trading ship with stern rudder), Denmark (built of south Jutland oak)
Built Timber felled about 1150 (dendrochronology)
Size About 20 to 21 m (69 ft) long, 4.5 m (14 3/4 ft) wide
Built of south Jutland oak with tangentially cut planks, iron fastenings, moss caulking and a stern rudder, she combined cog features with traits of Norse shipbuilding. Pottery from Schinveld and Blussum (as given by MASS) and Rhineland slate show she had traded in the Low Countries before she stranded at Kollerup.
Why she is remembered One of the oldest known cogs, seen as a 'missing link' in the development of the ship type that carried Hanseatic trade. She was the model for a near full-scale reconstruction at the European Hansemuseum in Lübeck.
The wreck today Found and investigated on land in 1978; curated by the Thisted Museum.
Sources differ First dated to the 13th century, later redated to about 1150 by dendrochronology. Length about 20 m (abc.se) versus 21 m (MASS).
Sources mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl · abc.se
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Song China
Quanzhou ship Scuttled
About 1275 (a few years after 1272, from coins) · Houzhou harbour, Quanzhou Bay, Fujian, China
The ship Three-masted Chinese seagoing junk with 13 compartments, Song China
Size 34.6 m long, 9.82 m beam
A merchant junk returning from Southeast Asia with incense wood, pepper, ambergris, frankincense, mercury and cowries was lost at Quanzhou, likely scuttled by its crew as the Southern Song fell to the Mongols.
Why she is remembered A key example of Song dynasty seagoing shipbuilding, with 13 internal compartments, and of the incense and spice trade into Quanzhou.
The wreck today Found in 1973 and excavated in summer 1974 under Zhuang Weiji of Xiamen University. Displayed in the ancient ships pavilion of the Quanzhou Maritime Museum at Kaiyuan Temple.
Sources differ Scuttling is a likely explanation, not a certainty.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Yuan China (with Korean Goryeo contingent)
Mongol invasion fleet wrecks at Takashima (Takashima Kozaki site) Storm
15 August 1281 · Off Takashima island, Imari Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
The ship Yuan dynasty warships and transports, Yuan China (with Korean Goryeo contingent)
Size One warship keel about 12 m long, suggesting a ship about 20 m long
Lives lost Heavy and disputed: Yuan records suggest 60 to 90% losses; Korean records say 7,592 of 26,989 Koreans in the Eastern Route fleet did not return
During Kublai Khan's second invasion of Japan a typhoon, the kamikaze, struck the fleet at anchor from the west and destroyed much of it.
Why she is remembered The origin of the 'divine wind' legend in Japan; finds include ceramic bombs filled with gunpowder and scrap iron.
The wreck today Excavated since 1980 by teams led by the University of the Ryukyus; a 384,000 square metre area of seabed was designated a National Historic Site in 2012, the first underwater site so designated in Japan. A first hull from the 1281 fleet was found in 2011; a second, about 65 ft by 20 ft with Chinese ceramics and ironware, was found in 2015 by the University of the Ryukyus and Matsuura City Board of Education under Yoshifumi Ikeda.
Sources differ Casualty totals vary widely between Yuan, Korean and Chinese survivor accounts. The site article names Ryukoku and Ryukyu universities in different places.
Sources Wikipedia · archaeology.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Yuan China
Shinan ship Other causes
About 1323 · Near Imjado, Shinan islands, South Korea, Yellow Sea; about 20 m deep
The ship Chinese cargo ship (also called the Sinan wreck), Yuan China
Size 32 m long, 10 m wide, about 3.5 m deep, about 200 tons capacity
A Yuan dynasty ship sailing from Ningbo to Hakata in Japan, with goods for temples and shrines in Kyoto and Hakata, sank off south-west Korea with more than 20,000 ceramics, 28 tons of Chinese coins and red sandalwood.
Why she is remembered South Korea's first underwater excavation and at the time described as perhaps the richest ancient shipwreck found.
The wreck today Ceramics brought up in a fishing net on 25 August 1975; excavated 1976 to 1984. Displayed by the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Mokpo.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Kingdom of England
Grace Dieu Fire
1439 · River Hamble at Bursledon, near Southampton, England
The ship Clinker-built great ship, royal flagship of Henry V, Kingdom of England
Built Launched 1418 at a purpose-built dock near Town Quay, Southampton; designed by William Soper
Size 218 ft long, 50 ft beam; estimates 1,400 to 2,750 tons
Built to overpower Genoese carracks, she made only one voyage, in 1420, troubled by mutiny. Laid up in the Hamble, she was struck by lightning in 1439 and burned to the waterline.
Why she is remembered Henry V's great flagship, described as comparable in size to HMS Victory and twice the size of the Mary Rose.
The wreck today Remains lie in the Hamble mud at Bursledon; designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act in 1974; surveyed by the National Maritime Museum (1980s) and the University of Southampton.
Sources differ Tonnage estimates range from 1,400 to 2,750 tons.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Built in the Basque Country; worked the Atlantic trade
Newport Ship Other causes
About 1468 · West bank of the River Usk, Newport, Wales
The ship Clinker-built sailing merchant ship, Built in the Basque Country; worked the Atlantic trade
Built About 1449 timber; built just after winter 1457 to 1458, Basque region of northern Spain
Size About 35 m long, 8.2 m wide, about 161 tons burden
After less than ten years of service the ship was in Newport for repair when her supporting cradle collapsed and she heeled onto her starboard side, and was abandoned.
Why she is remembered A rare 15th-century Basque-built merchant ship; local campaigning secured her full recovery.
The wreck today Found in June 2002 during building of the Riverfront Arts Centre; all timbers raised and conserved in Newport with PEG and freeze-drying (about 60% freeze-dried by 2019), awaiting reassembly and display.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Spain (Castile)
Santa Maria Reef and rocks
Also known as La Gallega
Ran aground 24 December 1492, sank 25 December 1492 · Near Cap-Haitien, Hispaniola (Haiti)
The ship Carrack (nao), Spain (Castile)
Built Pontevedra, Galicia, 1460
Size About 108 tons burden; hull about 19 m, keel 12.6 m, beam 5.5 m
Aboard About 40 crew
Lives lost None recorded
Columbus's flagship, owned and mastered by Juan de la Cosa, was carried by currents onto a sandbank at night while a cabin boy steered. She could not be saved and her timbers built the fort of La Navidad.
Why she is remembered Flagship of Columbus's first voyage to the Americas; many replicas have been built, including one for the 1893 Chicago fair and a seagoing replica in 2018.
The wreck today Not found. Barry Clifford claimed the wreck in 2014, but UNESCO experts rejected it in October 2014. An anchor is in the national museum of Haiti.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Possibly by Edward H. Hart, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Denmark and Norway (King Hans)
Gribshunden Explosion
June 1495 · At anchor near Ronneby, Blekinge, Sweden, Baltic Sea; about 10 m deep
The ship Carvel-built warship, royal flagship, Denmark and Norway (King Hans)
Built Probably Dutch yard; Meuse oak felled winter 1482 to 1483
Size Keel 25.5 m, about 32 m overall, beam about 8 m
Aboard Possibly up to 150
King Hans's flagship, en route to Kalmar for talks, suffered an explosion, burned and sank at anchor while the king was ashore.
Why she is remembered The oldest carvel hull in Nordic waters and an early gun-armed ship; her carved sea monster figurehead was raised in 2015.
The wreck today Located by a local diving club in the 1970s; investigated 2001 to 2012 and 2019 to 2022.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Portugal
Esmeralda Storm
May 1503 · Off Al Hallaniyah island, Oman, Arabian Sea
The ship Carrack (nau), Portugal
Lives lost Vicente and Bras Sodre died in the storm or soon after
Commanded by Vicente Sodre, Vasco da Gama's maternal uncle, the Esmeralda sailed in da Gama's 1502 armada to India and was lost off Oman in May 1503. Ignoring local advice, the Sodre brothers anchored the Esmeralda and Sao Pedro in a place exposed to the north wind and both ships were lost in a storm.
Why she is remembered Described in 2016 as the earliest ship of Europe's Age of Discovery yet found; finds include a mariner's astrolabe made about 1496 to 1501 and a ship's bell dated 1498.
The wreck today Site first located in 1998; found by Blue Water Recoveries; excavated 2013 to 2015 under David Mearns and David Parham (Bournemouth University) with the Omani government. No hull remains are documented. Finds held by the National Museum of Oman.
Sources differ Identification of the wreck as the Esmeralda rather than the Sao Pedro rests on finds and historical accounts.
Sources Wikipedia
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Portugal
Bom Jesus Storm
1533 · Off Oranjemund, Namibia, Atlantic; 28 35 58 S 16 23 51 E
The ship Portuguese nau (Indiaman), Portugal
Leaving Lisbon on 7 March 1533 for India, she was driven too close to shore in a storm, struck a rock, heeled over and capsized on the Namibian coast.
Why she is remembered A rich early Portuguese India ship, with more than 2,159 coins (mostly Spanish), 1,845 copper ingots and 105 elephant tusks.
The wreck today Found on 1 April 2008 by De Beers worker Kaapanda Shadika during diamond mining operations; excavated with Dieter Noli and international teams. Finds kept in tanks in Oranjemund pending a museum.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Empire
Nemi ships Scuttled
Scuttled about AD 42, a year after Caligula's death in AD 41; destroyed by fire 31 May 1944 · Lake Nemi, Alban Hills, near Rome, Italy
The ship Two Roman ceremonial palace ships on a lake, Roman Empire
Built 1st century AD, for Emperor Caligula
Size Larger ship 73 m long, 24 m beam; smaller ship 70 m long, 20 m beam
Caligula's floating palaces, with marble, mosaics, heated baths and lead plumbing, were stripped, overballasted and deliberately sunk after his assassination. Raised when Mussolini had the lake drained (1928 to 1932), they were burned in May 1944 during fighting between Allied and German forces.
Why she is remembered Their recovered fittings revealed Roman bilge pumps and rotating platforms on bearings; both were lost to fire in 1944.
The wreck today First ship surfaced 28 March 1929, second by October 1932; museum opened January 1936. Only bronzes and charred timbers survived the 1944 fire. Museo delle Navi Romane at Nemi, reopened 1953, shows one-fifth scale models and finds.
Sources differ The 1944 fire was long blamed on German troops; a 2023 study by Altamura and Paolucci concludes Allied artillery fire was the only plausible cause.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Early Helladic Greece
Dokos shipwreck Other causes
About 2700 to 2200 BC · Off Dokos island, Aegean Sea, Greece; 15 to 30 m deep
The ship Early Bronze Age trading ship, Early Helladic Greece
A ship of the Early Helladic period sank off Dokos with more than 500 clay vessels, stone anchors, lead ingots and millstones.
Why she is remembered Described by the Hellenic Institute of Marine Archaeology as the oldest known underwater shipwreck yet found.
The wreck today Found on 23 August 1975 by Peter Throckmorton; excavated 1989 to 1992 by HIMA under George Papathanasopoulos. Finds at the Spetses Museum.
Sources differ Only the cargo and anchors survive; no hull remains are reported.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Bronze Age Britain
Ferriby boats (Ferriby 1, 2 and 3) Other causes
Early Bronze Age (abandoned on the foreshore; exact dates unknown) · North Ferriby, Humber foreshore, East Yorkshire, England
The ship Bronze Age sewn-plank boats, Bronze Age Britain
Built Radiocarbon: Ferriby 1, 1880 to 1680 BC; Ferriby 2, 1940 to 1720 BC; Ferriby 3, 2030 to 1780 BC
Size Each almost 16 m long with a maximum beam of about 2.5 m
Three boats of oak planks sewn together with withies, caulked with moss, with a keel strake formed by box scarfing and stiffened by cleats and ribs, were left on the Humber shore in the Bronze Age. River erosion exposed the first in 1937; the second was found in 1940 and excavated in 1946, and the third found in 1963, all by Ted Wright, who had watched the site with his brother Christopher.
Why she is remembered Declared Europe's earliest seacraft in March 2001, they show that Bronze Age people built planked boats capable of coastal and sea trade. A full-size experimental reconstruction of Ferriby 3, Morgawr, was built at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and launched at Falmouth in 2013.
The wreck today Ferriby 1 and 2 are at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich; Ferriby 3 is in the Hull Museums collection (Hull and East Riding Museum).
Sources differ Stitching described as yew withies (Humber Museums, Morgawr project) versus willow withy (Hull Museums). Early radiocarbon dating in 1958 gave 750 BC plus or minus 150, later revised. Ferriby 3 also given as about 1900 BC.
Sources hullmuseums.co.uk · museumcollections.hullcc.gov.uk · humbermuseums.com · thehistoryblog.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Greek
Gela II Other causes
Sixth to fifth century BC · About 1,000 ft off the coast of Gela, southern Sicily, Mediterranean; about 10 ft deep
The ship Ancient Greek merchant ship, Greek
Size About 50 ft long, 16 ft wide
A Greek trading ship sank off Gela with ingots of a copper and zinc alloy identified as orichalcum, Corinthian helmets, amphorae and pottery.
Why she is remembered Its orichalcum ingots, the legendary 'Atlantis metal', were described by Sebastiano Tusa as unlike anything found before.
The wreck today Found in 1980 near Bulala; expeditions in 2015 and 2017 recovered 86 ingots in total. Recovery by the Superintendence of the Sea of the Sicilian Region was under way in 2024, with finds destined for the Archaeological Park of Gela. Finds from the nearby Gela I wreck are at the Bosco Littorio museum.
Sources differ Archaeology (2015) dates the wreck to the first half of the 6th century BC, 39 ingots found in 2015, at 10 ft depth about 1,000 ft offshore; Archaeology Magazine (2024) calls it 5th century BC and gives 1,000 ft as its depth.
Sources archaeology.org · archaeologymag.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Ancient and Medieval Wrecks · Roman Empire
Herculaneum boat Never lost at sea
AD 79, eruption of Vesuvius · Ancient beach of Herculaneum (Ercolano), Bay of Naples, Italy (buried under volcanic deposits)
The ship Roman rowing boat (two rows of rowers, three each side), possibly military, Roman Empire
Built Oak, fir and chestnut construction
Size About 9 m long, 2.2 m wide
The boat was overwhelmed on the shore of Herculaneum by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 and buried under volcanic material, close to the vaults where about 300 residents died while trying to escape. The Archaeological Park suggests she may have been a military vessel trying to bring help to the town.
Why she is remembered A rare complete Roman boat carbonised in place, with traces of the cinnabar red paint on her bow still visible, forever linked to the last hours of Herculaneum.
The wreck today Recovered on 3 August 1982; the carbonised hull is displayed in the Boat Pavilion of the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, with oars, nets, anchors and amphoras.
Sources ercolano.cultura.gov.it · seepompeii.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Portugal
Flor de la Mar Storm
20 November 1511 · Off Timia Point, kingdom of Aru, Sumatra, Strait of Malacca
The ship Carrack (nau), Portugal
Built Lisbon, 1502
Size 400 tons, 50 guns, complement about 500 (a Malaysian replica is 36 m by 8 m)
Aboard Afonso de Albuquerque and over 400 crew
Lives lost More than 400
After Albuquerque's conquest of Malacca, the carrack, known to be dangerously unseaworthy when fully loaded, sailed as his flagship carrying treasure looted from the Sultan's palace. She was wrecked on shoals in a storm; Albuquerque escaped on an improvised raft.
Why she is remembered One of the most famous lost treasure ships, referenced in Doctor Who (2022) and Uncharted 4 (2016).
The wreck today Never found; Portugal, Indonesia and Malaysia all claim rights.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Francisco Rodrigues Joaquim de Mello, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Portugal
São João Other causes
7 to 8 June 1552 · Near the mouth of the Inhlanhlinhlu River, Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (about 31° S)
The ship Great galleon (shiplib) or East India carrack (Heritage Portal) of the Portuguese India route, Portugal
Built 1550, Lisbon
Size About 900 tons
Aboard Over 600 people, about 200 Portuguese and 300 enslaved people (shiplib); or about 500, 180 Portuguese and 320 enslaved (Heritage Portal)
Lives lost About 110 at the stranding; most of the rest on the march overland
Homeward bound from Cochin to Lisbon, she sailed late on 3 February 1552 because of difficulty in buying pepper, richly laden with Asian goods. She stranded on the coast near Port Edward. The survivors, led by captain Manuel de Sousa Sepúlveda with his wife Dona Leonor de Sá and their children, set out on a march of about 600 km to the Maputo River; Leonor, stripped and robbed, buried herself in the sand and died with her children, and Sepúlveda walked into the bush and was never seen again. Only about 21 to 25 people reached safety.
Why she is remembered The most famous story of the História Trágico-Marítima, the 18th century anthology of Portuguese shipwreck narratives edited by Bernardo Gomes de Brito, and an enduring theme of Portuguese literature.
The wreck today Site near Port Edward; finds include a bronze breech-loading swivel gun fragment found in 1980, Jiajing period Ming porcelain (1522 to 1566), Cambay carnelian beads, cowries and peppercorns. A monument with plaques stands on the Port Edward waterfront.
Sources differ Numbers aboard over 600 (200 Portuguese, 300 enslaved) versus about 500 (180 Portuguese, 320 enslaved). Survivors 25 (shiplib) versus 21 (Heritage Portal). March of five and a half months (shiplib) versus about three months (Heritage Portal). Wreck date 7 to 8 June versus 8 June 1552.
Sources shiplib.org · theheritageportal.co.za
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Portugal
São Bento Storm
22 April 1554 · Mouth of the Msikaba River, Transkei coast, South Africa
The ship Portuguese India carrack (nau), Portugal
Built 1551, Lisbon
Size About 900 tons
Aboard About 470 (150 lost plus 322 who reached shore)
Lives lost About 150 at the wreck (44 Portuguese and over 106 enslaved people), and many more on the march
Homeward bound from Cochin under captain-major Fernão d'Álvares Cabral, she was crippled by a violent storm that damaged her helm and rudder and was wrecked at the mouth of the Msikaba River. 322 people reached shore and began a long march north; only about 22 survived to be picked up by a rescue ship on 20 March 1555.
Why she is remembered The survivor Manuel de Mesquita Perestrelo wrote an account of the wreck that was later included in the História Trágico-Marítima.
The wreck today Found in 1968 by sport divers near a rocky islet; 18 bronze cannon, porcelain, gold jewellery, carnelian beads and cowries were recovered and are held by the Natal Museum and the Durban History Museum. No significant hull remains were found.
Sources differ Final survivors given as 22, described as 20 Portuguese and 3 enslaved people (shiplib).
Sources shiplib.org
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain (Basque Country)
San Juan Other causes
1565 · Red Bay harbour near Saddle Island, Labrador, Canada
The ship Basque galleon (whaling ship), Spain (Basque Country)
The galleon sank at Red Bay during a Basque whaling expedition to Labrador in 1565. Archival research by Selma Barkham in Spanish records pointed to the loss, and a small whaling boat (chalupa) was found nested beneath the wreck.
Why she is remembered A drawing of the ship was chosen as the logo of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage; Red Bay Basque Whaling Station became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
The wreck today Excavated by Parks Canada's underwater archaeology team under Robert Grenier between 1977 and 1992; part of Red Bay National Historic Site (1979) and the World Heritage Site.
Sources differ Identification as the San Juan is described as believed rather than certain.
Sources parks.canada.ca · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
San Felipe Storm
19 October 1596 · Urado, Tosa Province, Shikoku, Japan
The ship Manila galleon, Spain
Aboard Captain Matías de Landecho and crew
Left without sails by typhoons, she was forced into Urado by the local daimyo Chōsokabe Motochika and wrecked on a sandbar. Her cargo, worth over a million pesos, was confiscated, and the pilot is said to have shown a map suggesting that missionaries prepared the way for Spanish expansion.
Why she is remembered The San Felipe incident led Hideyoshi to crucify the Twenty Six Martyrs of Japan on 5 February 1597 and to move against missionaries.
The wreck today No information.
Sources differ Sources disagree on whether the pilot's remarks actually caused the confiscation.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Portugal
Nossa Senhora dos Mártires Reef and rocks
14 September 1606 · Mouth of the River Tagus near São Julião da Barra, Lisbon
The ship Carrack (nau, Indiaman), Portugal
Built Ribeira das Naus, Lisbon, 1605
Lives lost No loss of life
Seeking a safer anchorage in strong winds at the mouth of the Tagus, she struck a rock and went down suddenly.
Why she is remembered Known as the Pepper Wreck because her black pepper carpeted the river. The only known Portuguese Indiaman of the period not destroyed by treasure hunters (until 2008).
The wreck today Identified in 1993 as site SJB2 and excavated 1996 to 2001; carpenters' marks on the hull allowed reconstruction.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · England (Virginia Company)
Sea Venture Storm
25 July 1609 Old Style (3 August New Style) · Sea Venture Shoals, reefs off Bermuda, about 0.5 to 0.75 miles offshore
The ship Galleon, England (Virginia Company)
Built Probably 1603
Size 300 tons, 24 guns
Aboard About 150 (140 men, 10 women and a dog evacuated)
Lives lost None reported in the wreck itself; six died during the stay on Bermuda
Flagship of the Third Supply to Jamestown, she was caught in a hurricane, leaked badly and was deliberately run onto Bermuda's reefs. The castaways lived on Bermuda for nine months, built the pinnaces Deliverance and Patience and reached Jamestown in May 1610 to find the colony near collapse.
Why she is remembered The wreck led to the English settlement of Bermuda, saved Jamestown and is thought to have inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest.
The wreck today Rediscovered in October 1958 by sport divers Downing and Heird and identified in 1959; little remains and the site has been covered with sandbags since 2015 to protect it from shipworm.
Sources differ Survivor numbers vary (150 to 153 per Strachey); unclear whether the 500 to 600 sometimes quoted refers to the whole fleet.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Nuestra Señora de Atocha Storm
6 September 1622 · Off the Florida Keys, Florida Straits, about 30 leagues (140 km) from Havana, in about 17 m of water
The ship Galleon, Spain
Built Havana shipyard, 1620 to 1621
Size 34 m long, 550 toneladas, 20 heavy guns plus 4 to 8 versos
Aboard About 265 crew and passengers
Lives lost All but 5 (three sailors and two slaves who clung to the mizzenmast)
The Atocha sailed from Havana on 4 September 1622 in a 28 ship convoy, six weeks late. A hurricane struck in the Florida Straits and by the morning of 6 September eight ships had sunk, their remains scattered from Marquesas Key to the Dry Tortugas. The Atocha carried roughly 40 tonnes of gold and silver and 32 kg of emeralds.
Why she is remembered One of the richest treasure wrecks ever found, which led to US Supreme Court litigation over salvage rights. The explorer Bartolomé García de Nodal, who had surveyed the Strait of Magellan, died in the disaster.
The wreck today Found in 1985 by Mel Fisher's expedition after 16.5 years of searching. The sterncastle has never been found and is presumed lost.
Sources differ Page gives the complement both as about 265 crew and passengers and as 90 to 110; beam given as 10 m in one place and 34 feet in another.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · England (East India Company)
Tryall (Trial) Reef and rocks
25 May 1622 · Tryal Rocks, about 32 km north west of the Montebello Islands, Western Australia, 20°16′18″S 115°23′18″E
The ship East Indiaman, England (East India Company)
Built Launched 1621
Size 500 tons burthen
Aboard 143
Lives lost 93; 50 survived
Following the new southern route to Java, she sailed too far east and struck uncharted submerged rocks. Survivors reached Bantam; Captain John Brooke blamed earlier mapping, while factor Thomas Bright blamed Brooke's navigation and failure to post a lookout.
Why she is remembered Australia's oldest known shipwreck and the first recorded English sighting of Australia.
The wreck today Located in 1969 by divers including John MacPherson, Eric Christiansen and Naoom Haimson; later damaged by an illegal salvage using explosives.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Nuestra Señora del Juncal Storm
1 November 1631 · Gulf of Mexico between Veracruz and Havana, 8 leagues north of Bajo de las Arenas; exact site unknown
The ship Galleon (fleet flagship), Spain
Aboard 335 (also given as 300)
Lives lost All but 35 (also given as 39)
Flagship of a Spanish treasure fleet under Admiral Manuel Serrano, she left Veracruz on 14 October 1631 with over 3.6 million pesos in precious metals and was struck by a storm a week later.
Why she is remembered One of the world's most sought after wrecks; subject of a 2024 book by INAH researchers.
The wreck today Not found despite several searches.
Sources differ Aboard 335 versus 300; survivors 35 versus 39.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Nuestra Señora de la Pura y Limpia Concepción Storm
31 October 1641 · Abrojos coral heads, Silver Bank (Banco de la Plata), about 85 miles north of the Dominican Republic, Atlantic Ocean
The ship Spanish treasure galleon of the New Spain fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Juan de Villavicencio, Spain
Built Havana, 1620 (Pook and Pook)
Size 140 ft; 36 guns (Pook and Pook)
Aboard About 500 passengers and crew (Pook and Pook gives 496)
Lives lost About 300; fewer than 200 survived (about 190 reached Hispaniola)
Sailing with the 21 ship New Spain fleet for Seville with 100 to 140 tons of silver plus contraband, she left Havana late in the hurricane season. A two day hurricane off Florida left her badly damaged, and on the eve of All Saints she ran onto the Abrojos reefs of the Silver Bank. About 190 survivors reached Hispaniola; many others perished on rafts.
Why she is remembered In 1687 William Phips salvaged about 32 tons of treasure from her, earning a knighthood and later the governorship of Massachusetts. Burt Webber rediscovered her in 1978 using the log of Phips's voyage.
The wreck today Relocated by Burt Webber's expedition on 26 November 1978, with treasure recovered then valued at about 13 million dollars, including Mexico City 8, 4 and 2 reales coins.
Sources differ Fleet departure given as Vera Cruz 20 September 1641 (Pook and Pook) versus Havana 13 September (Times of the Islands, which also says the fleet sailed in 1640). Hurricane date 28 September (Pook and Pook).
Sources timespub.tc · pookandpook.com · newenglandhistoricalsociety.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · France
Le Griffon Missing
Disappeared after 18 September 1679 · Upper Great Lakes (Lake Michigan or Lake Huron); exact site unknown
The ship Barque, France
Built 1679 by La Salle at or near Cayuga Island, Niagara River
Size About 45 tons, 30 to 40 ft long, seven cannon
Aboard 6 crew
Lives lost All 6
Built by La Salle, she sailed through Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan and left Green Bay with furs on 18 September 1679, then vanished.
Why she is remembered Called the first full sized sailing vessel on the upper Great Lakes and the holy grail of Great Lakes shipwrecks. SHIPS OF DISCOVERY overlap.
The wreck today Never confirmed despite more than 22 claimed finds; in 2022 Michigan's state maritime archaeologist said the Griffon has not been found.
Sources differ Cause disputed: storm, pilot error, sabotage or mutiny.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Father Louis Hennepin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · England
HMS Sussex Storm
1 March 1694 (Gregorian); 19 February 1693/4 (Julian) · Off Gibraltar, Strait of Gibraltar, about 800 m deep
The ship Third rate ship of the line, 80 guns, England
Built Chatham Dockyard, launched 11 April 1693
Size 157 ft 2 in long, 1,263 tons burthen, 80 guns
Aboard About 500, with Admiral Sir Francis Wheler
Lives lost All but two; about 1,200 across 13 ships of the fleet
Wheler's flagship was caught with her fleet by a violent storm near the Strait of Gibraltar and foundered. She was thought to carry perhaps 10 tons of gold coins.
Why she is remembered One of the Royal Navy's worst storm losses and a disputed deep water treasure site.
The wreck today Located by Odyssey Marine Exploration from 1998 to 2001; a 2002 profit sharing deal with the British government was followed by Spanish objections, and Spain cancelled cooperation in 2007.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · England (registered in London; built in France)
Henrietta Marie Reef and rocks
1700 (possibly 1701 or later) · New Ground Reef near the Marquesas Keys, about 35 miles west of Key West, Florida
The ship Slave ship, England (registered in London; built in France)
Built 17th century, in France
Size 120 tons burthen, 60 to 80 ft long
Aboard About 18 crew
Lives lost All; there were no survivors
After delivering 191 Africans to Port Royal, Jamaica, she was carrying Caribbean goods back to England when she wrecked on the reef off the Florida Keys.
Why she is remembered One of the few slave ship wrecks ever identified; the National Association of Black Scuba Divers placed a memorial plaque on the site in 1993.
The wreck today Found in 1972 by a Mel Fisher company survey, excavated 1983 to 1985 (over 7,000 artefacts); permanent exhibit at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, Key West, since November 2024.
Sources differ Date: 1700 versus possibly 1701 or later.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Association Reef and rocks
22 October 1707 (Julian), 2 November 1707 (Gregorian) · Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
The ship Second rate ship of the line, 90 guns, Great Britain
Size 90 guns
Aboard About 800
Lives lost Entire crew including Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell; between 1,400 and 2,000 died across the fleet
Shovell's fleet was unable to fix its position accurately, with faulty charts and compasses, and struck the rocks of Scilly. Association, Eagle, Romney and the fireship Firebrand were lost; Shovell's body washed ashore at Porthellick Cove and he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Why she is remembered One of the worst disasters in British naval history; it may have contributed to the Longitude Act of 1714 and the Board of Longitude.
The wreck today Found in June 1967 by divers from HMS Puttenham under Roy Graham; more than 2,000 coins were auctioned at Sotheby's in 1969. The site is protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.
Sources differ Fleet deaths given as between 1,400 and 2,000. Wikipedia notes the error was in latitude more than longitude, so the popular longitude link is disputed.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
San José War
8 June 1708 · Caribbean Sea off Cartagena, Colombia, near the Barú peninsula
The ship Spanish galleon, flagship of a treasure fleet, Spain
Built Launched 1698; designed by Francisco Antonio Garrote, built by Pedro de Aróstegui (military-history.fandom)
Size About 150 ft long, 45 ft beam; 1,200 tons burden; 60 to 64 guns
Aboard About 600
Lives lost About 600; only eleven survived (military-history.fandom)
Flagship of General José Fernández de Santillán, Count of Casa Alegre, she was sailing from Portobelo to Cartagena with a treasure fleet during the War of the Spanish Succession when a British squadron under Commodore Charles Wager attacked. During the battle, known as Wager's Action, her powder magazine exploded and she sank almost at once with gold, silver and emeralds from the mines of Peru.
Why she is remembered Called the 'holy grail of shipwrecks' for a cargo valued at between 1 billion and 18 billion dollars in various estimates, she is the subject of claims by Colombia, Spain, the US company Sea Search Armada and the Qhara Qhara people of Bolivia.
The wreck today Found on 27 November 2015 by the Colombian Navy with a REMUS 6000 autonomous vehicle and announced by President Juan Manuel Santos on 5 December 2015; identified by bronze cannon decorated with dolphins. Lies at about 600 m (about 2,000 ft); position classified. Colombia declared her state property and in 2025 raised the first objects, a bronze cannon, coins and porcelain cups, for a future museum.
Sources differ Guns: 60 (fandom), 62 (Live Science), 64 (Maine Public/NPR). Depth over 800 ft (Maine Public, 2015) versus about 2,000 ft (Live Science). Value estimates: 1 billion dollars (2012), 4 to 17 billion, about 18 billion (2018 dollars).
Sources livescience.com · mainepublic.org · military-history.fandom.com · whoi.edu
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Urca de Lima Storm
31 July 1715 · Off the east coast of Florida
The ship Urca (cargo ship) of the 1715 Treasure Fleet, Spain
Lives lost For the whole fleet, around 1,500 sailors perished according to Cuban records
The Urca de Lima, also called Santissima Trinidad, was one of eleven Spanish ships of the 1715 Treasure Fleet which left Havana and seven days later, at 2 a.m. on 31 July 1715, were all wrecked by a hurricane off Florida. Only the French frigate Le Grifon, sailing further out, escaped.
Why she is remembered The 1715 Fleet is Florida's best known treasure wreck site: Kip Wagner found the first treasure in 1961, $4.5 million in gold coins were found off Vero Beach on the 300th anniversary in 2015, and further coins were recovered in 2025.
The wreck today The Urca de Lima became Florida's first underwater archaeological preserve in 1987.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain, then pirates under Samuel Bellamy
Whydah Gally Storm
26 April 1717 · Off Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 41°53′31″N 69°57′34″W
The ship Galley (three masted, square rigged slave ship turned pirate ship), Great Britain, then pirates under Samuel Bellamy
Built London, launched 1716
Size 110 ft long, 300 tons burthen, 18 guns, increased to 28 by the pirates
Aboard About 146
Lives lost 144; two men survived
Built as a slave ship for Sir Humphrey Morice, she carried about 500 enslaved Africans on her maiden voyage before Black Sam Bellamy captured her in February 1717. Two months later a nor'easter drove her onto a sandbar off Cape Cod, where she capsized and broke up.
Why she is remembered The only fully authenticated wreck of a Golden Age pirate ship, confirmed in 1985 by her inscribed bell.
The wreck today Found in 1984 by Barry Clifford in 14 to 16 ft of water under sand; over 200,000 artefacts recovered, shown at the Whydah Pirate Museum, West Yarmouth, and the Real Pirates Museum, Salem.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Conde de Tolosa Storm
25 August 1724 · Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic, in about 40 ft of water
The ship Galleon (quicksilver galleon), Spain
Size 1,500 tons
Aboard 600 (350 of them officials, sailors and soldiers)
Lives lost Almost all; seven survivors clung to the mainmast for 32 days
Sailing with the Guadalupe and carrying 150 tons of mercury, she drifted onto the breakers in a hurricane and was smashed against rocks and coral.
Why she is remembered One of the two quicksilver galleons lost in 1724; seven survivors held on to the mainmast for 32 days.
The wreck today Found and salvaged in the 1970s; some artefacts held by the Dominican underwater cultural heritage authority.
Sources underwaterscience.indiana.edu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Storm
25 August 1724 · Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic, in about 20 ft of water
The ship Galleon (quicksilver galleon), Spain
Built 1702
Size 1,000 tons, 74 guns
Aboard 600
Lives lost Many drowned
Carrying about 250 tons of mercury (quicksilver), with a special double iron frame for that cargo, she was forced onto reefs in Samaná Bay by a sudden shift of wind in a hurricane, together with the Conde de Tolosa.
Why she is remembered Her site is the centre of the Dominican Republic's first underwater shipwreck museum.
The wreck today Undisturbed until found in the 1970s; part of the Guadalupe Underwater Archaeological Preserve (2004), inaugurated as a Living Museum of the Sea in 2011.
Sources underwaterscience.indiana.edu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Wager Reef and rocks
Also known as Wager (East Indiaman)
14 May 1741 · Wager Island, Guayaneco Archipelago, Gulf of Penas, Chile, 47°40′43″S 75°02′57″W
The ship Sixth rate warship, ex East Indiaman, Great Britain
Built Buxton, Rotherhithe, launched 1734
Size 123 ft gundeck, 559 tons burthen, 28 guns
Aboard About 120 when she left England
Lives lost Some drowned in the wreck; after more than five years only some of Bulkeley's group and four of Captain Cheap's group returned to England
Part of Anson's 1740 expedition against Spain, the Wager became separated after Cape Horn and wrecked on an uncharted island. Discipline collapsed into mutiny: gunner John Bulkeley led 81 men home by boat through the Strait of Magellan, while Captain Cheap and Midshipman John Byron stayed behind.
Why she is remembered Under the rules of the time the loss of the ship ended the crew's pay and the officers' authority, which fed the mutiny and the later controversy. Retold by Patrick O'Brian (The Unknown Shore) and in David Grann's bestseller The Wager (2023).
The wreck today Hull remains found in shallow water at Wager Island in 2006 by the Scientific Exploration Society.
Sources differ Tonnage 551 versus 558 burthen. Note: a warship but lost by wreck, not enemy action.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Charles Brooking, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Hollandia Reef and rocks
13 July 1743 · Gunner Rock near Annet, Isles of Scilly
The ship VOC ship (full rigged), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Amsterdam dockyard, 1742
Size 42 m long, 700 tons burthen, 32 guns
Aboard Crew, soldiers and several important passengers
Lives lost 306, all aboard (276 sailors and soldiers, 30 passengers)
On her maiden voyage from Texel to Batavia with a cargo of coin, she became separated from the fleet, struck Gunner Rock in the early morning and sank nearby.
Why she is remembered A major VOC loss in English waters with a rich coin cargo.
The wreck today Found in 1971 by Rex Cowan; coins, bronze cannon and mortars recovered.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Victory (1737) Storm
4 to 5 October 1744 · Western English Channel, about 49°42.5′N 3°3.33′W, about 100 m deep
The ship First rate ship of the line, 100 guns, Great Britain
Built Portsmouth Dockyard, launched 23 February 1737
Size 174 ft gundeck, 1,921 tons burthen, 100 bronze guns
Aboard Complement about 900 (also given as 1,150 or about 1,100)
Lives lost All aboard
Admiral Sir John Balchen's flagship was returning to England when a storm on 3 October 1744 scattered the fleet. She was long believed lost on the Casquets but went down far from there.
Why she is remembered The last British first rate armed entirely with bronze guns, possibly carrying about £400,000 in bullion from Lisbon.
The wreck today Found in May 2008 by Odyssey Marine Exploration more than 80 km from the supposed site. Still British Government property; plans for commercial recovery were controversial because it is a naval grave.
Sources differ Crew lost: about 900 complement versus 1,150 (Wikipedia ship article) versus about 1,100 (List of shipwrecks in 1744).
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Sweden (Swedish East India Company)
Götheborg Reef and rocks
12 September 1745 · Knipla Börö rock at the approach to Gothenburg, Sweden, about 900 m from her berth
The ship East Indiaman, Sweden (Swedish East India Company)
Built Terra Nova shipyard, Stockholm, launched 1738
Size About 830 tons, initial crew of 144
Aboard Commanded by Captain Eric Moréen with pilot Caspar Matthisson
Lives lost None; all sailors survived
Returning from the Swedish East India Company's third voyage to China laden with tea, porcelain, spices and silk, she struck a well known rock in fair weather only 900 m from her berth. Part of the cargo was salvaged before she sank.
Why she is remembered Her loss so close to port is a famous puzzle; one theory is the dead water effect from heavy fresh water run off. A sailing replica, Götheborg, was begun in 1995, launched in 2003 and completed her maiden voyage in 2007.
The wreck today Rediscovered in December 1984 and excavated 1986 to 1992, recovering 5,750 artefacts (about 10 percent of the cargo).
Sources differ Exact cause of the grounding unclear.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Amsterdam Storm
26 January 1749 · Bulverhythe, near Hastings, English Channel, 50°50′48.84″N 0°31′27.41″E
The ship East Indiaman (spiegelretourschip), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Amsterdam, 1748, of oak
Size 48 m long, 1,100 tons, 42 guns
Aboard 335 (203 crew, 127 soldiers, 5 passengers)
Bound for Batavia, the Amsterdam struggled against westerly gales in the Channel, with disease and mutiny aboard, and lost her rudder. She was run aground in the bay at Bulverhythe and sank into the mud.
Why she is remembered The best preserved VOC ship ever found, with several decks still intact in the mud; a full replica (1985 to 1990) lies at the National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam.
The wreck today Exposed at low spring tide and identified in 1969; designated a Protected Wreck in 1974 and excavated 1984 to 1986. Still owned by the Dutch state and visible at very low tides; finds at the Shipwreck Museum, Hastings.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Dutch Republic (VOC, Zeeland chamber)
Geldermalsen Reef and rocks
3 January 1752 · Reef south west of Batam island, South China Sea
The ship East Indiaman, Dutch Republic (VOC, Zeeland chamber)
Built VOC chamber of Zeeland; maiden voyage 1748
Size 150 ft (45.7 m) long, 42 ft wide, 1,150 tons, 26 guns
Aboard 300
Lives lost 80 including the skipper; 32 survived
Homeward bound from Canton with tea, silk, porcelain and gold bars, she ran onto a reef, lost masts and rudder, capsized and sank.
Why she is remembered Her porcelain, sold as the Nanking Cargo at Christie's Amsterdam in 1986 for over £10 million, became a byword for treasure hunting that destroys archaeology.
The wreck today Salvaged by Michael Hatcher in 1985; the site is destroyed. Some finds are in Dutch museums.
Sources differ 300 people are given as aboard, but 80 lost and 32 survivors, figures that do not add up.
Sources mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (East India Company)
Doddington Reef and rocks
17 July 1755 · Bird Island, Algoa Bay, near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa
The ship East Indiaman, Great Britain (East India Company)
Size 499 tons burthen (declared)
Aboard 270 crew and passengers
Lives lost 247; 23 survived
Heading east north east at 1 a.m., she struck a rock at Bird Island. The 23 survivors lived for seven months on fish, birds and eggs and built a sloop, the Happy Deliverance, in which they escaped on 16 February 1756.
Why she is remembered She carried gold known as Clive of India's gold; about 1,200 coins were looted by modern treasure hunters, and after a four year legal fight a third were returned to South Africa. The case influenced the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
The wreck today Looted in modern times.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · France
Utile Reef and rocks
31 July 1761 · Tromelin Island, Indian Ocean
The ship Frigate of the French East India Company, France
Aboard 142 crew and 160 enslaved Malagasy
Lives lost Many enslaved people locked in the hold drowned; about 60 Malagasy reached the island
Carrying enslaved people from Foulpointe, Madagascar, she ran onto the reef after a navigation error from two conflicting charts. The crew built a boat, the Providence, and left on 27 September 1761 with 122 sailors, abandoning the Malagasy on the island.
Why she is remembered The castaways survived for 15 years until Ensign Tromelin on the corvette Dauphine rescued seven women and an eight month old child on 29 November 1776. Subject of the 2016 to 2017 exhibition Tromelin, the island of forgotten slaves.
The wreck today Studied by archaeological missions led by Max Guérout and Thomas Romon in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Endeavour Scuttled
Also known as Earl of Pembroke; later renamed Lord Sandwich
Scuttled 4 August 1778 · Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay
The ship Bark (ex Whitby collier, full rigged), Great Britain
Built Thomas Fishburn, Whitby, launched June 1764
Size 97 ft 8 in long (some sources 106 ft), 366 tons burthen, 10 four pounders and 12 swivels
After Cook's voyage she was renamed Lord Sandwich. During the American War of Independence she was deliberately scuttled in Newport Harbor as part of a British blockade of the bay.
Why she is remembered Captain James Cook's ship on his first voyage of discovery (1768 to 1771): the 1769 transit of Venus, New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. Replicas in Sydney, Whitby and elsewhere. SHIPS OF DISCOVERY overlap.
The wreck today The Australian National Maritime Museum announced identification in February 2022 (disputed as premature by RIMAP); ANMM and RIMAP released a final report confirming her identity in June 2025. The remains are being eaten by shipworm.
Sources differ Length 97 ft 8 in versus 106 ft. Identification of the wreck was disputed between ANMM and RIMAP before 2025.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Royal George Other causes
29 August 1782 · Spithead, off Portsmouth
The ship First rate ship of the line, 100 guns, Great Britain
Built Woolwich Dockyard, launched 18 February 1756
Size 178 ft gundeck, 2,047 tons burthen, 100 guns
Aboard About 1,200, including visitors
Lives lost Around 900 including up to 300 women and 60 children (also given as more than 800); 255 survived
While heeled over at anchor for hull repairs, she rolled too far, water entered her open gunports and she sank. Rear Admiral Kempenfelt died in his cabin.
Why she is remembered One of the worst losses in a British port, mourned in William Cowper's poem beginning Toll for the brave.
The wreck today Cleared by Charles Pasley's salvage from 1839 to 1843; bronze from her guns went into Nelson's Column and timbers became souvenirs.
Sources differ Deaths: around 900 versus more than 800 on the same page.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: John Cleveley the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (East India Company)
Halsewell Storm
6 January 1786 · Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, between Seacombe and Winspit quarries, 50°35′21″N 2°01′14″W
The ship East Indiaman, three masted full rigged ship, Great Britain (East India Company)
Built Wells, launched 1778
Size 139.5 ft long, 758 tons burthen (one source 776)
Aboard More than 240 crew and passengers
Lives lost About 166; 74 survived
Outbound for India, she was dismasted in a snowstorm in the Channel and driven against the cliffs of Purbeck, where she broke up in less than an hour at the mouth of a cave. Quarrymen hauled survivors up the cliff with ropes.
Why she is remembered Among the most famous wrecks of its day: painted by J.M.W. Turner, staged in Loutherbourg's Eidophusikon, written about by Dickens (The Long Voyage) and visited by George III.
The wreck today Cannons and coins recovered in 1967; finds in Dorchester museum and Worth Matravers church; part of the Adopt a Wreck scheme.
Sources differ Tonnage 758 versus 776.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: J. M. W. Turner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
San Pedro de Alcántara Reef and rocks
2 February 1786, about 22:30 · Rocks of the Papoa peninsula, Peniche, Portugal (Atlantic)
The ship Spanish warship of 64 guns, Spain
Built Built in Cuba of mahogany by a British naval builder (lisboa-e-o-tejo blog)
Size 64 guns
Lives lost 128
Sailing from Callao, Peru, to Cádiz with over 150 tons of gold and silver coin, more than 600 tons of copper, 100 tons of cinchona (quinine) bark and 6.5 tons of cocoa, she struck the rocks of Papoa at night. Among the 128 dead were 17 indigenous Peruvian political prisoners, men, women and children linked to the Túpac Amaru rebellion. In the following months about 40 European divers hired by the Spanish Crown recovered almost all the treasure, raising the hull by June 1786 and towing it to the beach at Peniche.
Why she is remembered The salvage was a technical triumph reported month after month in European newspapers, and Jean-Baptiste Pillement painted the wreck and the rescue operations in 1786.
The wreck today Site identified between 1984 and 1999 by archaeologists Jean-Yves Blot and Maria Luísa Blot, who also found the burial place of victims; virtually nothing of the ship remains on the seabed. The site is part of a Peniche municipal tourist route at Papoa; the freighter João Diogo was wrecked at the same spot in 1963.
Sources cm-peniche.pt · lisboa-e-o-tejo.blogspot.com
Image: Jean-Baptiste Pillement, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Bounty Fire
Also known as Bethia
Burned 23 January 1790 · Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island, South Pacific
The ship Armed vessel, ex merchant collier, full rigged, Great Britain
Built Reputedly Blaydes yard, Hull, 1784
Size 90 ft 10 in long, 215 to 220 tons burthen, 4 four pounders and 10 swivels
Aboard 46 at the mutiny
Bought in 1787 for William Bligh's breadfruit voyage to Tahiti, the Bounty was seized by Fletcher Christian's mutineers on 28 April 1789. They settled on remote Pitcairn and burned the ship to avoid discovery.
Why she is remembered The Mutiny on the Bounty, retold in many books and in films of 1935, 1962 and 1984, each with a replica ship. Also an explorer voyage of the breadfruit expeditions.
The wreck today Rediscovered in January 1957 by Luis Marden; rudder pin, fittings, an anchor and cannon recovered, ballast stones remain in Bounty Bay.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Sirius Reef and rocks
Also known as Berwick
19 March 1790 · Reef at Norfolk Island, 29°03′37″S 167°57′18″E
The ship Sloop of war (ex merchantman), Great Britain
Built Christopher Watson and Co., Rotherhithe, 1780
Size 110 ft 5 in gundeck, 512 tons burthen, 4 six pounders and 6 carronades
Lives lost None stated; the crew were stranded until February 1791
Flagship of the First Fleet that founded the colony at Port Jackson in 1788, Sirius was wrecked on the reef at Norfolk Island while landing supplies.
Why she is remembered The First Fleet's flagship, which founded the colony at Port Jackson; she also carried the Larcum Kendall chronometer used by Cook.
The wreck today Protected under the Historic Shipwrecks Act and on the National Heritage List; relics in the Norfolk Island Museum, the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Powerhouse Museum.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain
HMS Pandora Reef and rocks
Struck 28 or 29 August 1791, sank the next morning · Outer Great Barrier Reef near Torres Strait, about 5 km north west of Moulter Cay, 11°23′S 143°59′E, 30 to 33 m deep
The ship Porcupine class sixth rate post ship, 24 guns, Great Britain
Built Adams and Barnard, Deptford, launched 17 May 1779
Size 114 ft 7 in long overall, 524 tons burthen, 24 guns
Aboard 134 crew plus 14 Bounty mutineers as prisoners
Lives lost 35 (31 crew and 4 mutineers) in the wreck; 16 more died later; only 78 of the 134 crew returned home
Sent to hunt down the Bounty mutineers, Pandora captured 14 of them and held them in a cramped 11 by 18 ft deck cell known as Pandora's Box. On the way home she ran onto the outer Great Barrier Reef and sank.
Why she is remembered Linked to the Bounty story, and one of the most significant wrecks in the Southern Hemisphere.
The wreck today Found on 15 November 1977 by Ben Cropp, Steve Domm and John Heyer; protected under the Historic Shipwrecks Act and excavated 1983 to 1999. About 30 percent of the hull survives; finds at the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Townsville.
Sources differ Page gives the wreck date as 28 August in one place and running aground on 29 August in another.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Robert Batty, after a sketch by Peter Heywood, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Portugal
São José Paquete de Africa Reef and rocks
27 December 1794 · Off Clifton and Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, about 100 m from shore
The ship Slave ship, Portugal
Aboard 512 enslaved Mozambicans loaded (also given as 400 to 500) plus crew
Lives lost 212 of the enslaved people
Sailing from Mozambique to Brazil, the ship struck submerged rocks off the Cape and broke apart. The captain and crew were rescued; the surviving Africans were sold in the Cape Colony.
Why she is remembered The first wreck found of a slave ship that sank with enslaved people aboard; central to the Slave Wrecks Project.
The wreck today Found by divers in the 1980s but misidentified; confirmed in 2015 by the Smithsonian, Iziko Museums and the Slave Wrecks Project. Finds shown at Iziko's Slave Lodge and the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Sources differ Aboard: 512 loaded versus 400 to 500.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · British India (Calcutta)
Sydney Cove Other causes
9 February 1797 · Preservation Island, Furneaux Group, Bass Strait, north of Tasmania, 3 to 6 m deep
The ship Bengal country ship, British India (Calcutta)
Built Calcutta
Size 250 tons burthen
Aboard Master Gavin Hamilton with European seamen and Indian lascars
Lives lost Of 17 men who set out to walk for help, only 3 reached safety
She sprang a leak in heavy seas that pumping could not control and was run aground on Preservation Island. On 28 February 1797 seventeen men set out for Port Jackson and walked over 600 km; only three reached Wattamolla by 15 May 1797.
Why she is remembered The walkers found coal at Coalcliff and the episode pointed to the existence of Bass Strait. Yeast from her beer bottles was used in 2018 to brew Preservation Ale.
The wreck today Located in 1977 and excavated; finds in the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston, including what is called the world's oldest bottle of beer.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · France, then Great Britain from 1793
HMS Lutine Storm
Also known as La Lutine
9 October 1799 · Vlie sandbank off Vlieland, West Frisian Islands, Netherlands, North Sea
The ship Magicienne class frigate (fifth rate), France, then Great Britain from 1793
Built Toulon, 1779
Size 32 guns, later rated 38
Aboard About 240
Lives lost All but one
Carrying about £1.2 million in bullion and coin, she was driven by a north westerly gale, unexpected leeway and the tidal stream onto the Vlie sandbank and wrecked.
Why she is remembered Her bell, the Lutine Bell, was salvaged and hangs at Lloyd's of London, where it is rung on ceremonial occasions.
The wreck today Repeatedly buried and uncovered by sand; salvage attempts into the 20th century recovered only part of the cargo, and over 80 percent is said to remain.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Spain
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Explosion
5 October 1804 · Off the south coast of Portugal
The ship Frigate (36 guns), Spain
Built Launched at Havana, 1786
Size 36 guns
Lives lost About 250 Spanish crewmen (a cited note gives 265, including 23 civilians)
Sailing from Montevideo to Cádiz with silver, gold and colonial goods, the Mercedes and her squadron were intercepted by a Royal Navy force under Graham Moore while Spain and Britain were at peace. Commander José de Bustamante y Guerra refused to divert to a British port, and in the action a single shot hit the Mercedes' magazine and she blew up.
Why she is remembered Seen in Spain as its equivalent of USS Arizona, the loss helped bring Spain into war with Britain. The modern salvage of her treasure set a legal precedent for sovereign rights over wrecks.
The wreck today Found in 2007 by Odyssey Marine Exploration (code name Black Swan), which raised nearly 500,000 coins. Spain won the case in US courts in 2012 and the treasure went to the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Cartagena. A 2015 Spanish expedition found damage caused by the salvage.
Sources differ Lives lost: 250 in the text versus 265 (including 23 civilians) in a cited note. Note: sunk by gunfire in peacetime, so on the border of a war loss.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Francis Sartorius, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (East India Company)
Earl of Abergavenny Reef and rocks
5 February 1805 · Shambles reef, Weymouth Bay, off Portland; wreck lies in 16 m of water under 3 km off Weymouth beach
The ship East Indiaman, Great Britain (East India Company)
Built Northfleet, Kent, launched 1796
Size One of the largest East Indiamen built, 32 guns
Aboard 402
Lives lost 263; 90 to 100 survived
Outbound from Portsmouth on her fifth voyage, she struck the Shambles through the pilot's incompetence, was refloated, then sank as Captain John Wordsworth tried to reach the beach. He stayed at his post and went down with the ship.
Why she is remembered The captain was the brother of the poet William Wordsworth. She carried a cargo valued at £200,000, including £70,000 in specie; painted by Thomas Luny.
The wreck today Specie salvaged by 1807 and the wreck blown up in 1812. Surveyed by the Weymouth LUNAR Society; scheduled as a monument by Historic England in August 2024.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (East India Company)
Admiral Gardner Storm
25 January 1809 · Goodwin Sands, off South Foreland, Kent
The ship East Indiaman, three decks, Great Britain (East India Company)
Built Melhuish, Limehouse, launched 12 April 1797
Size 145 ft 8 in long, 813 to 852 tons burthen
Aboard About 100 crew
Lives lost Three (or five) crew
On her sixth voyage, with a cargo that included copper cash coins minted by Matthew Boulton for India, a gale tore her from her moorings and drove her onto the Goodwin Sands.
Why she is remembered Her cargo of East India Company copper coins.
The wreck today Found in 1984; coins salvaged in 1985. Designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act in 1985 and managed by Historic England.
Sources differ Lost: three versus five.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · France
Méduse (Medusa) Reef and rocks
Grounded 2 July 1816, abandoned 5 July 1816 · Bank of Arguin, off Mauritania, about 50 km offshore
The ship Pallas class frigate, France
Built Crucy yard, Paimboeuf, launched 1 July 1810
Size 46.93 m long, 1,080 tonnes, 40 to 46 guns
Aboard About 400
Lives lost Of 147 put on the raft only 15 were alive when rescued, and 5 of those died soon after
Carrying officials to retake Senegal, she ran aground through the inept navigation of Captain de Chaumareys. 147 people were put on an improvised raft, and 13 days of starvation, drunken violence and cannibalism followed before the brig Argus found it on 17 July 1816.
Why she is remembered Géricault's painting The Raft of the Medusa (Louvre) and the survivors' book made it a national scandal against the restored Bourbon monarchy.
The wreck today Located in 1980 by a French expedition led by Jean-Yves Blot; finds shown at the Musée national de la Marine, Paris.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Jean-Jérôme Baugean, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · United States (Nantucket)
Essex Other causes
20 November 1820 · South Pacific, about 2,000 nautical miles west of South America
The ship Whaleship, United States (Nantucket)
Built Amesbury, Massachusetts, launched 1799
Size 87 ft 7 in long, 238 tons burthen
Aboard 20
Lives lost 12 died; 8 survived (including 3 rescued later from Henderson Island)
A large sperm whale rammed the Essex twice and she sank. The crew spent about three months in open whaleboats and the survivors resorted to cannibalism before rescue in February 1821.
Why she is remembered First mate Owen Chase's account inspired Melville's Moby-Dick; retold in Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea, filmed in 2015.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · China
Tek Sing Reef and rocks
6 February 1822 · Belvedere Shoals, Gaspar Strait, South China Sea
The ship Three masted ocean going junk, China
Size 50 m long, 10 m wide, 800 to 900 tons burden, mainmast 27 m
Aboard About 1,800 (200 crew and about 1,600 passengers)
Lives lost About 1,500 per UNESCO; about 190 rescued by the Indiana and 18 by a junk
Carrying porcelain and emigrants from Amoy to Batavia, her captain tried a shortcut through the Gaspar Strait and she ran aground on a reef and sank.
Why she is remembered Called the Titanic of the East for the scale of the loss of life.
The wreck today Found on 12 May 1999 by Michael Hatcher; about 350,000 porcelain pieces were raised and auctioned in Stuttgart in 2000. Human remains were left undisturbed.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (East India Company)
Kent Fire
1 March 1825 · Bay of Biscay
The ship East Indiaman, Great Britain (East India Company)
Built Launched 1820
Aboard 641
Lives lost 81
A candle ignited spirits leaking from a displaced cask in the hold and fire spread through the ship. The brigantine Cambria, carrying Cornish miners, took off about 550 people before the Kent's magazine exploded at 2 a.m.; the survivors were landed at Falmouth.
Why she is remembered A celebrated rescue at sea, painted by William Daniell and Théodore Gudin and the subject of a William McGonagall poem.
Sources differ The total is given as 641, but the breakdown given (344 soldiers of the 31st Foot, 43 women and 66 children, 20 passengers and 148 crew) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: William John Huggins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · United Kingdom
Amphitrite Storm
31 August 1833 · Off Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (English Channel)
The ship Convict transport (female convict ship), United Kingdom
Aboard 108 female convicts, 12 children and a crew of 13 (136 souls)
Lives lost 133; only three crew survived
She left London (Woolwich) on 25 August 1833 for New South Wales with women prisoners and their children. Within a week a storm drove her ashore off Boulogne, in sight of hundreds of onlookers. Captain John Hunter refused offers of help from the shore, reportedly from fear that the prisoners would escape, and the ship broke up with almost everyone aboard.
Why she is remembered A sensation in the British press and the subject of an Admiralty investigation. J. M. W. Turner's unfinished 'A Disaster at Sea' (about 1835, Tate) is associated with the wreck, and Andrew Jampoler's book 'Horrible Shipwreck!' tells the story.
The wreck today Broken up on the shore at Boulogne in 1833; no wreck survives.
Sources femaleconvicts.org.au · usni.org · thehistoryofart.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · United Kingdom
Neva Reef and rocks
13 May 1835 · Reef off King Island, Bass Strait, Tasmania; exact reef disputed
The ship Three masted barque (convict transport), United Kingdom
Built Bunney and Firbank, Hull, 1813
Size 104 ft 4 in long, 27 ft 1 in beam, 327 to 333 tons burthen
Aboard 239
Lives lost 224; 15 survived
On her second convict voyage to Australia she struck an uncharted reef. Twenty two people reached King Island on rafts, but seven died of exposure; the inquiry blamed the currents and cleared Captain Peck.
Why she is remembered One of the worst shipwrecks in Australian history, almost all its victims being women convicts and children.
The wreck today Location uncertain; a memorial plaque is at the Tasmanian Seafarers' Memorial, Triabunna.
Sources differ Wreck site: Harbinger Reefs versus Navarine Reefs versus an uncharted reef west of King Island. The total is given as 239, but the breakdown given (26 crew, 150 female convicts with 33 children, 9 free women with 22 children) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · United Kingdom
Forfarshire Reef and rocks
7 September 1838 · Big Harcar rock, Outer Farne Islands, Northumberland, North Sea
The ship Side paddle steamship with brigantine rig, United Kingdom
Built Dundee, launched 1834
Size 132 ft long, 20 ft beam, 270 GRT
Aboard 61 passengers and crew
Lives lost 43
On passage from Hull to Dundee her boilers leaked and the engines failed in a gale, and she was driven onto the rocks of Big Harcar.
Why she is remembered Lighthouse keeper's daughter Grace Darling and her father William rowed out and rescued nine survivors, making Grace a national heroine and earning both an RNLI Silver Medal.
The wreck today Scattered remains lie at Piper Gut, 7 to 22 m deep, mixed with other wrecks; her nameplate is at the Olde Ship Inn, Seahouses.
Sources differ First inquest blamed the boilers and the captain's negligence; a second blamed the weather.
Sources Wikipedia
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · United States
William Brown Ice
19 April 1841 · North Atlantic, about 250 miles south east of Cape Race, Newfoundland
The ship Sailing ship (emigrant ship), United States
Aboard 82 (17 crew, 65 passengers)
Lives lost 31 passengers went down with the ship; from the overloaded longboat 12 men were forced out, two women also went into the water and two more men were thrown out next morning
The ship struck an iceberg at night. In the overcrowded longboat seamen including Alexander Holmes forced passengers into the sea to keep it afloat; all the crew stayed aboard.
Why she is remembered United States v. Holmes (1842) became a landmark case on the defence of necessity; Holmes was convicted of manslaughter. Inspired the film Abandon Ship! (1957).
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail · Great Britain (registered Liverpool)
Cataraqui Storm
4 August 1845 · Off King Island, Bass Strait, Tasmania
The ship Barque (emigrant ship), Great Britain (registered Liverpool)
Built Quebec, 1840, by Williams Lampson
Size 138 by 30 by 22 ft, 802 tons
Aboard About 410 (369 emigrants and 41 crew plus captain)
Lives lost About 400; 9 survived
Carrying emigrants, she was driven onto jagged rocks off King Island in a severe storm at about 4.30 a.m. The nine survivors spent five weeks on the island before rescue by the cutter Midge, and 314 bodies were buried there.
Why she is remembered Australia's worst ever civil maritime disaster.
Sources differ Totals aboard and lost differ slightly in the source.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown / State Library of Victoria, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United States (Union Navy)
USS Monitor Storm
31 December 1862 · About 16 miles south-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 35°00'06“N 75°24'23”W
The ship Ironclad (turret ship), designed by John Ericsson, United States (Union Navy)
Built Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, Brooklyn; launched 30 January 1862
Size 179 ft (54.6 m); 987 long tons
Aboard 49 officers and men
Lives lost 16; 47 rescued by USS Rhode Island
While under tow to Beaufort, North Carolina, she met a severe storm off Cape Hatteras. Water poured in through ventilation openings and the gap between turret and deck, and despite the pumps she sank.
Why she is remembered Her duel with CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads on 9 March 1862 was the first battle between armoured warships and made the monitor type famous.
The wreck today Found on 27 August 1973 by a Duke University led expedition at 230 ft (70 m). The site became the first US national marine sanctuary on 30 January 1975. Her turret was raised on 5 August 2002 and is conserved at The Mariners' Museum, Newport News; two sailors found in it were buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 8 March 2013.
Sources differ The published figures (49 aboard, 16 lost, 47 rescued) do not add up.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Confederate States
CSS Alabama War
Also known as Enrica
19 June 1864 · Off Cherbourg, France, English Channel, 49°45'09“N 1°41'42”W
The ship Screw sloop-of-war (commerce raider), Confederate States
Built John Laird Sons and Company, Birkenhead; launched 29 July 1862 as Enrica
Size 220 ft (67 m); 1,050 tons displacement
Aboard 170
Lives lost 19 (9 killed in action, 10 drowned)
The famous Confederate raider was blockaded at Cherbourg by USS Kearsarge and came out to fight. In about an hour Kearsarge, protected by chain armour, outgunned her, helped by Alabama's deteriorated powder; one of Alabama's shells lodged in Kearsarge's stern but failed to explode.
Why she is remembered The Alabama Claims against Britain for building Confederate raiders ended in a $15.5 million award to the United States. Édouard Manet painted the battle.
The wreck today Found in November 1984 by the French Navy minehunter Circé at about 200 ft (60 m). A French and US agreement of 3 October 1989 treats her as shared heritage; her bell and over 300 objects were recovered by 2002.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Rear Admiral J. W. Schmidt [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Italy (Regia Marina)
Re d'Italia War
20 July 1866 · Off Lissa (Vis), Adriatic Sea
The ship Armoured steam frigate (ironclad), Italy (Regia Marina)
Built William H. Webb, New York; launched 1863
Size 99.61 m overall
Aboard about 500 or more
Lives lost between 391 and 440 (27 officers and 364 men stated); about 160 to 177 rescued
At the Battle of Lissa her rudder was disabled, and the Austrian flagship Erzherzog Ferdinand Max rammed her at 11.5 knots, tearing a breach of about 15 square metres below the armour belt. She capsized and sank within minutes at about 11:30, her crew firing until the end.
Why she is remembered Sunk by ramming at the Battle of Lissa with the loss of most of her crew; the painter Ippolito Caffi and the deputy Pier Carlo Boggio were aboard.
The wreck today Found in spring 2005 off the Dalmatian coast at 105 m, listing slightly to starboard.
Sources differ Deaths 391 to 440; survivors 160 to 177.
Sources Wikipedia (IT)
Image: Gemälde von Gustav Kappler, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Captain Storm
7 September 1870 · Off Cape Finisterre, Spain, Atlantic
The ship Masted turret ship (ironclad), United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Laird Brothers, Birkenhead; launched 27 March 1869
Size 320 ft (97.54 m); 7,767 long tons as built (designed 6,960 long tons)
Aboard about 500 officers and men
Lives lost about 472; 18 survivors
A radical turret ship carrying a full sailing rig, she was completed with a freeboard of only 6 ft 6 in instead of the designed 8 ft, which left her dangerously unstable. On the night of 6 to 7 September 1870 she was caught in a gale off Cape Finisterre, heeled over and capsized before sail could be reduced. Only 18 men escaped in a boat that broke free.
Why she is remembered Her loss led to a court-martial and an Admiralty committee on stability that included William Thomson and William Rankine, and it shaped later warship design. Memorials stand in St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and St Anne's Church, Portsmouth.
The wreck today Found on 30 August 2022 by multibeam echosounder, by a Galician documentary company in the Find the Captain project started by Dr Howard Fuller.
Sources differ Loss stated as both nearly 500 and about 472.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: William Frederick Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Victoria Collision
22 June 1893 · Eastern Mediterranean off Tripoli, Lebanon, 34°32'N 35°50'E
The ship Victoria-class ironclad battleship, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Armstrong, Mitchell and Co., Elswick; launched 9 April 1887
Size 340 ft (100 m); 11,020 long tons
Aboard about 583
Lives lost 358, including Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon
Flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet, she was rammed by HMS Camperdown when Tryon ordered the two columns to turn inwards while only 1,200 yards apart, less than their combined turning circles. Struck by Camperdown's armoured ram, she sank in about 15 minutes. Her executive officer, John Jellicoe, survived and later commanded the Grand Fleet.
Why she is remembered Lost through a manoeuvre ordered by her own admiral that the ships' turning circles made impossible; examined at a court-martial in Malta in July 1893.
The wreck today Found on 22 August 2004 by divers Christian Francis and Mark Ellyatt at 140 m. She stands vertically, with her bow and about 30 m of hull buried in the mud, an unusual position for a wreck.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: William Frederick Mitchell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Maine Explosion
15 February 1898 · Havana Harbor, Cuba, 23°08'07“N 82°20'03”W
The ship Armored cruiser, later second-class battleship, United States (US Navy)
Built Brooklyn Navy Yard; launched 18 November 1890
Size 324 ft 4 in (98.9 m); 6,682 long tons
Aboard 355 (26 officers, 290 enlisted, 39 marines)
Lives lost 261; 94 survivors
At 21:40 on 15 February 1898 an explosion of more than 5 long tons of powder charges destroyed the forward third of the ship as she lay at anchor in Havana. The 1898 US inquiry blamed an external mine, while a Spanish inquiry and later studies, including Admiral Rickover's in 1974, pointed to a coal bunker fire igniting the magazines.
Why she is remembered The cry “Remember the Maine!” helped push the United States into the Spanish-American War in April 1898. Her main mast stands at Arlington National Cemetery and her foremast at the US Naval Academy.
The wreck today Raised inside a cofferdam in 1911 to 1912, the remains were towed out and scuttled on 16 March 1912 in about 3,600 ft (1,100 m) of water. Rediscovered on 18 October 2000 by an Advanced Digital Communications expedition about 3 miles north-east of Havana.
Sources differ Cause disputed: external mine (Sampson Board 1898, Vreeland Board 1911) against internal coal bunker fire (Spanish inquiry, Rickover 1974, 2002 Discovery Channel study).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Russia (Imperial Russian Navy)
Petropavlovsk War
13 April 1904 · About two nautical miles off Port Arthur, north-east China, Yellow Sea
The ship Petropavlovsk-class pre-dreadnought battleship, Russia (Imperial Russian Navy)
Built Galerniy Island Shipyard, Saint Petersburg; launched 9 November 1894
Size 376 ft (114.6 m); 11,354 long tons
Lives lost 27 officers and 652 men, including Vice Admiral Stepan Makarov and the war artist Vasily Vereshchagin; 7 officers and 73 men rescued
Flagship of the First Pacific Squadron during the Russo-Japanese War, she struck one or more mines at 09:42 while returning to Port Arthur and sank almost at once.
Why she is remembered The deaths of Admiral Makarov and the painter Vereshchagin made her loss famous.
The wreck today Japanese divers later found Makarov's remains in the wreck and buried him at sea in 1913.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Mikasa Explosion
11 to 12 September 1905 (sank at moorings; refloated 1906) · Sasebo harbour, Japan
The ship Pre-dreadnought battleship, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Vickers, Sons and Maxim, Barrow-in-Furness; launched 8 November 1900
Size 432 ft (131.7 m); 15,140 long tons normal load
Lives lost 251 crewmen
A British-built battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, she was lost in September 1905 when a fire and magazine explosion sank her at her moorings in Sasebo. She was raised on 7 August 1906, rebuilt and returned to service in 1908.
Why she is remembered Preserved after 1923 under the Washington Naval Treaty, she is the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship in the world.
The wreck today Not a wreck: museum ship at Mikasa Park, Yokosuka, open since 12 November 1926, hull set in concrete; guns and turrets are replicas.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Imperial German Navy)
SMS Scharnhorst War
8 December 1914 · About 98 nautical miles south-east of the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic, 52°53'49“S 56°00'59”W
The ship Scharnhorst-class armoured cruiser, Germany (Imperial German Navy)
Built Blohm und Voss, Hamburg; launched 23 March 1906
Size 144.6 m (474 ft 5 in); 12,985 t full load
Aboard about 860
Lives lost all about 860, including Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee and two of his sons
Flagship of the East Asia Squadron, which had beaten the British at Coronel, she was caught at the Battle of the Falkland Islands by the battlecruisers Invincible and Inflexible. After sustained fire she capsized to port and sank at 16:17 with no survivors.
Why she is remembered Her loss with all hands, including von Spee, avenged the German victory at Coronel and ended his squadron's cruise.
The wreck today Found on 5 December 2019 by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust search led by Mensun Bound, from Seabed Constructor, upright at about 1,610 m.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Hampshire War
5 June 1916 · About 1.5 nautical miles off Mainland, Orkney, between Brough of Birsay and Marwick Head, 59°07.065'N 3°23.843'W
The ship Devonshire-class armoured cruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick; launched 24 September 1903
Size 473 ft 6 in (144.3 m); 10,850 long tons
Aboard 735 crew and 14 passengers
Lives lost 737, including Field Marshal Lord Kitchener and his staff; 12 survivors
Days after Jutland she left Scapa Flow carrying Kitchener on a mission to Russia. In heavy seas she struck a mine laid by U-75 and sank by the bow in about 15 minutes; only 12 men reached shore on Carley floats.
Why she is remembered The death of Kitchener shocked Britain and spawned conspiracy theories. The Kitchener Memorial tower at Marwick Head was raised in 1926.
The wreck today Lies upside down at 180 to 230 ft (55 to 70 m). A controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986; diving needs a licence. Salvaged items, including a propeller and guns, are at the Scapa Flow museum.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: H. Symonds & Co, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Invincible War
31 May 1916 · North Sea, 57°02'40“N 6°07'15”E
The ship Invincible-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, Tyneside; launched 13 April 1907
Size 567 ft (173 m); 17,250 long tons load, 20,420 long tons deep load
Aboard complement 784, up to 1,000 in wartime
Lives lost 1,026 including Rear-Admiral Horace Hood; 6 survivors
Flagship of the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron at Jutland, she was engaged by Lützow and Derfflinger at 18:21. A 30.5 cm shell pierced her midships Q turret and set off the magazines; she broke in two and sank in about 90 seconds. HMS Badger picked up six survivors.
Why she is remembered Eighteen months earlier she had helped sink von Spee's flagship Scharnhorst at the Falklands; at Jutland she was destroyed in seconds with her admiral.
The wreck today Located after the war by a Royal Navy minesweeper at about 180 ft (55 m), stern upright and bow upside down. Protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Sources differ A famous photograph of her explosion has been questioned by one historian.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Presumed to be an official British Government photograph, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Queen Mary War
31 May 1916 · North Sea, 56°42'N 5°54'E
The ship Queen Mary-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow; launched 20 March 1912
Size 700 ft 1 in (213.4 m); 26,770 long tons normal, 31,650 long tons deep load
Aboard 1,286
Lives lost 1,266; 20 survivors (18 rescued by British destroyers, 2 by the Germans)
During the Run to the South at Jutland, Derfflinger shifted fire to her at about 16:16 and hit her twice. A shell forward set off her forward magazines and broke her in two near the foremast.
Why she is remembered One of the British battlecruisers destroyed by magazine explosions at Jutland, with only 20 survivors from 1,286.
The wreck today Found in 1991; lies in three sections, the aft part upside down and missing its salvaged propellers. A protected place and war grave under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Sources differ Officers killed given as 57 or 67; prisoners 2 or 3.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Imperial Russia (Imperial Russian Navy)
Som Collision
1916 · Off the east coast of central Sweden, 2.75 km offshore between Arholma and Svartklubben, Baltic
The ship Som-class submarine, Imperial Russia (Imperial Russian Navy)
Built launched about 1905
Size 20 m (66 ft) long, 3 m diameter
Lives lost all crew
Serving in the Baltic in the First World War, she sank after a collision with the Swedish steamship Ångermanland, with the loss of all hands.
Why she is remembered Her wreck was found almost a century after her loss, in Swedish waters.
The wreck today Found in July 2015 by Ocean X Team led by Dennis Åberg; identified by the Swedish Armed Forces as most likely Som from Cyrillic markings in pre-1917 spelling. Treated as of archaeological interest; the Russian embassy was informed.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Warships and Submarines · Austria-Hungary (Austro-Hungarian Navy)
SMS Szent István War
10 June 1918 · Off the island of Premuda, Adriatic Sea
The ship Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleship, Austria-Hungary (Austro-Hungarian Navy)
Built Ganz-Danubius, Fiume (Rijeka); launched 17 January 1914
Size 152.18 m (499 ft 3 in); 20,008 t standard, 21,689 t deep load
Aboard 1,094
Lives lost 89, including 41 from Hungary
On her way to attack the Otranto Barrage, she was hit by two torpedoes from the Italian motor torpedo boat MAS-15 under Luigi Rizzo. Flooding spread into the forward boiler room and she capsized about three hours later.
Why she is remembered The only battleship whose sinking was filmed in the First World War. Italy celebrates 10 June as its Navy Day.
The wreck today Found in the mid-1970s by the Yugoslav Navy at 66 m. A protected site of the Croatian Ministry of Culture.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Work of K.u.k. Kriegsmarine personnel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Imperial German Navy)
SMS Hindenburg Scuttled
21 June 1919 · Scapa Flow, Orkney
The ship Derfflinger-class battlecruiser, Germany (Imperial German Navy)
Built Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven; launched 1 August 1915
Size 212.8 m (698 ft 2 in); 26,947 t normal, 31,500 t full load
Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919 on the order of Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, together with most of the interned German High Seas Fleet, to prevent the ships being handed over to the Allies. Completed too late for Jutland, she was the last ship to sink, at 17:00.
Why she is remembered Her raising in 1930 was one of the feats of Ernest Cox, who developed new patching and air-displacement salvage methods at Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Raised by Cox and Danks on 23 July 1930 after several failed attempts, then sold to Metal Industries and scrapped at Rosyth in 1930 to 1932.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Admiral Graf Spee Scuttled
17 December 1939 · River Plate estuary off Montevideo, Uruguay
The ship Deutschland-class Panzerschiff (pocket battleship), Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Reichsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven; launched 30 June 1934
Size 186 m (610 ft 3 in); 16,020 long tons full load
Lives lost 36 killed and 60 wounded in the battle; none in the scuttling stated
Damaged by three British cruisers at the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December 1939, she put into Montevideo. Believing false reports of a superior British force waiting outside, Captain Hans Langsdorff had her equipment destroyed and scuttled her; he shot himself in Buenos Aires on 20 December.
Why she is remembered Her hunt and scuttling are retold in the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate.
The wreck today Lies at about 11 m. A 27 t rangefinder was raised in 2004 and the 400 kg eagle crest in 2006, now held by the Uruguayan Navy amid controversy over its fate.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Courageous War
17 September 1939 · Western Approaches, off the coast of Ireland
The ship Aircraft carrier converted from a Courageous-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Armstrong Whitworth (yard 895); launched 5 February 1916
Size 786 ft 9 in (239.8 m); 22,560 long tons deep load as battlecruiser
Lives lost 519, including her captain
In September 1939 she was hit by two torpedoes from U-29 under Otto Schuhart and sank in 20 minutes. Survivors were picked up by the merchant ships Collingsworth and Dido and the Dutch liner Veendam.
Why she is remembered The first British warship sunk by German forces in the Second World War.
The wreck today No wreck details in the source.
Sources differ Deaths given as more than 500 and as 519.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Royal Oak War
14 October 1939 · Scapa Flow, Orkney, 58°55'44“N 2°59'09”W
The ship Revenge-class battleship, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Devonport Royal Dockyard; launched 1914
Size 620 ft 7 in; 31,130 long tons deep load
Aboard 1,234 men and boys
Lives lost 835, of whom 134 were boy seamen under 18; about 399 survivors
The U-boat U-47 under Günther Prien slipped into the fleet anchorage through Kirk Sound. A first torpedo did little harm, but a second salvo struck amidships at 01:16 and she rolled over and sank by 01:29. The tender Daisy II, under John Gatt, rescued many survivors.
Why she is remembered The raid led to the Churchill Barriers, causeways that sealed the eastern approaches to Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Lies nearly upside down in about 30 m (100 ft). A designated war grave: diving is prohibited, and Royal Navy divers place a White Ensign at her stern each year. Oil is still being removed.
Sources differ The accepted toll of 835 was set in 2019 after local research.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Royal Navy photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Thetis Other causes
1 June 1939 (salvaged; finally lost as HMS Thunderbolt on 14 March 1943) · Liverpool Bay, England
The ship T-class submarine, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead; launched 29 June 1938
Size 275 ft (84 m); 1,090 long tons surfaced, 1,560 long tons submerged
Aboard 103 (59 crew plus Cammell Laird staff and naval observers)
Lives lost 99; 4 survivors
On diving trials a blocked test cock on No. 5 torpedo tube and confusing indicators led the crew to open the inner door while the outer door was open to the sea. Her bow flooded and sank to 150 ft; four men escaped through the aft escape chamber, but the rest died of carbon dioxide poisoning while rescue efforts failed.
Why she is remembered Four men escaped while 99 died within reach of rescuers; memorials stand at Holyhead (1947) and Birkenhead (2014).
The wreck today Raised, recommissioned as HMS Thunderbolt in October 1940, and sunk with all hands by the Italian corvette Cicogna off Sicily on 14 March 1943 in 1,350 m of water.
Sources differ A salvage diver also died on 23 August 1939.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Lt S. J. Beadell, Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Blücher War
9 April 1940 · Drøbak Sound, Oslofjord, Norway
The ship Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Deutsche Werke, Kiel; launched 8 June 1937
Size 203.20 m (666 ft 8 in); 16,170 t normal, 18,500 t full load
Aboard 42 officers, 1,340 men and about 800 soldiers
Lives lost uncertain: 600 to 1,000 (Lunde) or 125 seamen and 195 soldiers (Rohwer)
Leading the invasion force towards Oslo, she was hit at close range by the old guns and torpedoes of Oscarsborg Fortress in the Drøbak Narrows and sank.
Why she is remembered The delay allowed the Norwegian royal family and government to escape Oslo.
The wreck today Lies at 64 m in the Drøbak Narrows. About 1,600 t of oil removed between 1994 and 2023. Protected as a war memorial since 16 June 2016 and treated as a war grave.
Sources differ Loss of life given as unknown (Gröner), 600 to 1,000 (Lunde) or 320 (Rohwer).
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Glorious War
8 June 1940 · Norwegian Sea, about 68°38'N 3°50'E
The ship Aircraft carrier converted from a Courageous-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Harland and Wolff, Belfast; launched 20 April 1916
Size 786 ft 9 in (239.8 m); 19,180 long tons normal as battlecruiser
Lives lost 1,207 from Glorious, plus 160 from HMS Acasta and 152 from HMS Ardent (1,519 in all); 40 survivors from the three ships
Returning independently to Scapa Flow after evacuating RAF aircraft from Norway, she was caught by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Hit by 28.3 cm shells from 16:38, she sank at 18:10; her escorts Ardent and Acasta were sunk attacking the German ships.
Why she is remembered Her loss raised lasting questions in Parliament about missed sighting reports, the absence of air patrols and unheeded Bletchley Park warnings.
The wreck today No wreck discovery is recorded in the source.
Sources differ About 900 men abandoned ship but only 40 were rescued after days in the water.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom
Lancastria War
Also known as Tyrrhenia (1920 to 1924)
17 June 1940 · Charpentier Roads, about 5 miles south-west of Saint-Nazaire, Loire estuary, France
The ship Ocean liner requisitioned as troopship, United Kingdom
Built William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir; launched 31 May 1920
Size 578 ft (176 m); 16,243 GRT
Aboard estimates from 4,000 to 9,000 (Captain Sharp estimated 5,500; normal troop capacity 1,300)
Lives lost estimates of 4,000 to 7,000, with at least 3,500 widely accepted; 2,477 survivors recorded
Evacuating troops and civilians from France during Operation Aerial, the overloaded ship was hit by three or four bombs from Junkers Ju 88s at 15:50 and sank within 20 minutes. Lack of lifeboats and lifejackets, burning fuel oil and cold caused huge loss of life.
Why she is remembered A disaster on a vast scale whose news Churchill suppressed the news by D-Notice. A commemorative medal was issued in 2008 and memorials stand in Saint-Nazaire, London, Liverpool and Clydebank.
The wreck today Lies in French territorial waters; protected by the French authorities as a war grave since 2006. Not eligible for UK Protection of Military Remains Act designation.
Sources differ Aboard 4,000 to 9,000 (estimates only). Death toll from 3,500 to 7,000; the Lancastria Association names 1,738 confirmed dead and the CWGC records 1,816.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Arizona War
7 December 1941 · Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
The ship Pennsylvania-class (Standard-type) battleship, United States (US Navy)
Built Brooklyn Navy Yard; launched 19 June 1915
Size 608 ft (185.3 m); 29,158 long tons standard
Aboard 1,512
Lives lost 1,177; 335 survivors
During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor she was hit by four bombs. The last, at 08:06 near No. 2 turret, set off her forward magazines in a huge explosion that destroyed the forward part of the ship.
Why she is remembered Her wreck and memorial are the national shrine of the Pearl Harbor attack; her guns, bell and anchor are displayed in Arizona.
The wreck today Never raised. She rests in Pearl Harbor beneath the USS Arizona Memorial (national shrine 1962, National Historic Landmark 1989), still leaking about 2.2 litres of oil a day. Ashes of survivors have been interred inside her.
Sources differ A January 1942 report listed seven bomb hits and a torpedo, later unconfirmed.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, retouched by Mmxx, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Ark Royal War
14 November 1941 · About 30 nautical miles east of Gibraltar, western Mediterranean
The ship Aircraft carrier, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead; launched 13 April 1937
Size 800 ft (240 m); 27,720 long tons deep load
Aboard about 1,580
Lives lost 1 (Able Seaman Edward Mitchell)
Torpedoed by U-81 at 15:40 on 13 November 1941, she listed steadily as flooding spread; design flaws such as the lack of backup power defeated damage control. She capsized and sank at 06:19 the next morning while under tow.
Why she is remembered Famous for the Swordfish strike that crippled Bismarck; the inquiry into her loss led to design changes in later British carriers.
The wreck today Found in December 2002 by C and C Technologies with a sonar-equipped autonomous underwater vehicle at about 3,300 ft (1,000 m), further east than expected.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Barham War
25 November 1941 · Off the Egyptian coast, eastern Mediterranean
The ship Queen Elizabeth-class battleship, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built John Brown and Company, Clydebank; launched 31 December 1914
Size 643 ft 9 in (196.2 m); 32,590 long tons
Lives lost about 862
Torpedoed three times by U-331, she capsized to port and about four minutes later her magazines exploded. A Pathé cameraman on HMS Valiant filmed the explosion.
Why she is remembered The Admiralty kept the loss secret until January 1942; the medium Helen Duncan's claimed contact with a Barham sailor led to her prosecution under the Witchcraft Act 1735.
The wreck today No wreck details in the source.
Sources differ Survivors given as 337 (Hotspur) plus 150 (Nizam), or 396 or 450 by other historians.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Bismarck War
27 May 1941 · North Atlantic about 650 km west of Brest, 48°10'N 16°12'W
The ship Bismarck-class battleship, Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Blohm und Voss, Hamburg; launched 14 February 1939
Size 251 m (823 ft 6 in); 41,700 t standard, 50,300 t full load
Aboard over 2,200 (2,221 sailed)
Lives lost about 2,100; 114 survivors
After sinking HMS Hood she was hunted across the Atlantic. A Swordfish torpedo jammed her rudder, and on 27 May the battleships King George V and Rodney wrecked her at close range. Her crew set scuttling charges and HMS Dorsetshire fired torpedoes; she sank at about 10:40.
Why she is remembered Her pursuit ended in the last battleship against battleship engagement in the Atlantic and showed the decisive role of aircraft over traditional gunnery.
The wreck today Found on 8 June 1989 by Robert Ballard at about 4,791 m, upright on her keel. Ballard kept the position secret to protect the site; later surveys found no penetrations of the armoured citadel.
Sources differ Whether scuttling, gunfire or torpedoes sank her is still debated; survivor counts by rescuing ship vary between sources.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Hood War
24 May 1941 · Denmark Strait, between Greenland and Iceland
The ship Admiral-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built John Brown and Company, Clydebank; launched 22 August 1918
Size 860 ft 7 in (262.3 m); 46,680 long tons deep load
Aboard 1,433 officers and crew
Lives lost 1,415; 3 survivors (Ted Briggs, Robert Tilburn, William Dundas)
The Royal Navy battlecruiser engaged Bismarck and Prinz Eugen in the Battle of the Denmark Strait. A shell from Bismarck penetrated her protection and set off her aft magazines; she sank in about three minutes. HMS Electra picked up three survivors some two hours later.
Why she is remembered Her sudden loss shocked Britain and triggered the hunt for Bismarck. Two boards of inquiry blamed magazine penetration.
The wreck today Found in July 2001 by David Mearns and Blue Water Recoveries for Channel 4, at about 2,800 m in two debris fields. Her bell was raised on 7 August 2015 and is at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth. Designated a war grave in 2002 under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Sources differ The exact path of the fatal shell and the cause of the explosion remain debated.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Allan C. Green, restored by Adam Cuerden, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Prince of Wales War
10 December 1941 · Off Kuantan, Malaya, South China Sea, 3°33'36“N 104°28'42”E
The ship King George V-class battleship, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead; launched 3 May 1939
Size 745 ft 1 in (227.1 m); 43,786 long tons full load
Aboard 1,612
Lives lost 327, including Admiral Tom Phillips and Captain John Leach
Flagship of Force Z, sent to Singapore with Repulse as a deterrent, she was attacked by Japanese land-based bombers while hunting invasion convoys. An early torpedo wrecked a propeller shaft and caused uncontrollable flooding; she capsized and sank stern first at 13:20.
Why she is remembered With Repulse, the first capital ships sunk solely by air power on the open sea. Months earlier she had carried Churchill to the Atlantic Charter meeting with Roosevelt.
The wreck today Lies upside down in 68 m (223 ft); Protected Place since 2001. Her bell, raised in 2002, is at the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Illegally salvaged by the Chinese vessel Chuan Hong 68 (reported 2023, detained 2024).
Sources differ Torpedo hits given as one or four.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Lt H. J. Abrahams, Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Repulse War
10 December 1941 · Off Kuantan, Malaya, South China Sea, 3°37'N 104°20'E
The ship Renown-class battlecruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built John Brown and Company, Clydebank; launched 8 January 1916
Size 794 ft (242 m); 27,200 long tons normal
Aboard 1,309
Lives lost 508; 801 rescued
After dodging some 19 torpedoes and bombs, she was caught by a pincer attack of Japanese torpedo bombers and hit several times in quick succession. She capsized and went down by the stern minutes before Prince of Wales.
Why she is remembered Her loss alongside Prince of Wales marked the end of the battleship era in the Far East.
The wreck today Lies nearly inverted in about 56 m (183 ft); Protected Place since 2002; damaged by illegal salvage, including by the Chuan Hong 68 in 2023.
Sources differ Survivors reported five torpedo hits; a 2007 diving expedition found evidence of only two.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Underwood & Underwood, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Akagi War
5 June 1942 · North Pacific off Midway, 30°30'N 178°40'W
The ship Aircraft carrier converted from an Amagi-class battlecruiser, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Kure Naval Arsenal; launched 22 April 1925
Size 260.67 m (855 ft 3 in) after 1938; 36,500 long tons standard, 41,300 long tons deep load
Aboard complement 1,630
Lives lost 267
Admiral Nagumo's flagship at Midway was hit by a dive bomber from USS Enterprise at about 10:26 on 4 June, setting off armed and fuelled aircraft in her hangar. The fires could not be controlled; Japanese destroyers torpedoed her on 5 June and she sank bow first at 05:20.
Why she is remembered Nagumo's flagship, lost with her sister carriers at the Battle of Midway; her wreck was found 77 years later.
The wreck today Found on 20 October 2019 by RV Petrel at 5,490 m (18,011 ft), upright and largely intact.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Australia (Royal Australian Navy)
HMAS Perth War
Also known as HMS Amphion
1 March 1942 · Sunda Strait, Indonesia, 5°51'42“S 106°07'52”E
The ship Modified Leander-class light cruiser, Australia (Royal Australian Navy)
Built HM Dockyard, Portsmouth; launched 27 July 1934
Size 562 ft 4 in (171.4 m); 7,040 long tons standard, 9,140 long tons deep load
Lives lost 353; 328 survivors, of whom 106 died in captivity
With USS Houston she ran into the Japanese invasion fleet in the Sunda Strait. Hit by several torpedoes, Captain Waller ordered abandon ship after the second hit, and she capsized to port and sank at 00:25.
Why she is remembered Her survivors endured years as prisoners, 38 of them killed when Allied forces attacked Japanese hell ships.
The wreck today Found in 1967 at about 35 m, then reasonably intact; by 2013 illegal salvage had stripped most of her superstructure, forward turrets and decking, confirmed by a 2017 survey.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Marine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Hornet War
27 October 1942 · Near the Santa Cruz Islands, South Pacific
The ship Yorktown-class aircraft carrier, United States (US Navy)
Built Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia; launched 14 December 1940
Size 824 ft 9 in (251.38 m); 20,000 long tons standard, 25,500 long tons full load
Aboard about 2,200 at the sinking (wartime complement 2,919)
Lives lost 140
At the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands she was crippled by Japanese torpedo planes and dive bombers. She was finally sunk by Japanese destroyers.
Why she is remembered She launched the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, carrying 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers, on 18 April 1942.
The wreck today Found in January 2019 by RV Petrel at more than 17,500 ft (5,300 m), upright.
Sources differ Complement 2,919 against about 2,200 aboard at the sinking.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Houston War
1 March 1942 · Sunda Strait, Indonesia
The ship Northampton-class heavy cruiser, United States (US Navy)
Built Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia; launched 7 September 1929
Size 600 ft 3 in (182.96 m); 9,050 long tons standard
Aboard 1,061
Lives lost 693 killed in action; 368 survivors taken prisoner, of whom 77 died in captivity
Fighting alongside HMAS Perth in a night action against a Japanese invasion force, she was hit by a torpedo shortly after midnight and then by three more, sinking at about 00:30.
Why she is remembered Lost in the same action as HMAS Perth; all her survivors became prisoners of war and over a fifth died in captivity.
The wreck today Confirmed in June 2014 by US Navy divers. Damaged by illegal salvage, including removal of rivets and hull plate.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Kaga War
4 June 1942 · North Pacific north-west of Midway, 30°23'N 179°17'W
The ship Aircraft carrier converted from a Tosa-class battleship, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Kawasaki, Kobe, completed at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal; launched 17 November 1921
Size 247.65 m after 1935; 38,200 long tons standard
Aboard 1,708
Lives lost 811, including 21 aviators
At 10:22 dive bombers from USS Enterprise hit her with at least four bombs. Fires spread out of control, and she was scuttled with two torpedoes from the destroyer Hagikaze, sinking stern first.
Why she is remembered The highest loss of life among the Japanese carriers sunk at Midway.
The wreck today Debris found by Nauticos in 1999 at about 17,000 ft; the main wreck found by RV Petrel in October 2019 at about 5,400 m, upright.
Sources differ Survivor numbers do not reconcile exactly with the stated complement.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Lexington War
8 May 1942 · Coral Sea about 800 km east of Queensland, 15°20'S 155°30'E
The ship Lexington-class aircraft carrier converted from a battlecruiser, United States (US Navy)
Built Fore River Ship Building Co., Quincy, Massachusetts; launched 3 October 1925
Size 888 ft (270.7 m); 36,000 long tons standard, 47,700 long tons deep load
Aboard complement 2,791 (1942)
Lives lost 216; 2,735 evacuated
At the Battle of the Coral Sea she was hit by two torpedoes and two bombs. At 12:47 sparks ignited petrol vapour from cracked tanks and a great explosion followed; fires spread out of control and the destroyer Phelps sank her with five torpedoes, the last at 19:52.
Why she is remembered Lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea; built on a battlecruiser hull, she was found 76 years later in the Coral Sea.
The wreck today Found on 4 March 2018 by RV Petrel, funded by Paul Allen, at about 3,000 m, in several sections.
Sources differ Stanley Johnston reported five torpedo hits, against the standard two.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Yorktown War
7 June 1942 · North Pacific off Midway, 30°35'59“N 176°34'04”W
The ship Yorktown-class aircraft carrier, United States (US Navy)
Built Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia; launched 4 April 1936
Size 824 ft 9 in (251.4 m); 25,500 long tons full load
Aboard complement 2,217 (1941)
Lives lost 141
At Midway she was crippled by dive bombers and torpedo planes from the Japanese carrier Hiryu on 4 June. On 6 June she was torpedoed by the submarine I-168, and on 7 June she rolled over and sank.
Why she is remembered The US carrier lost at Midway, sunk only after a submarine attack two days after she was crippled.
The wreck today Found on 19 May 1998 by Robert Ballard at about 5,500 m (3,000 fathoms), upright with paint still visible.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: U.S. Navy photo 19-N-17424, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom
HMT Rohna War
26 November 1943 · Off Bougie, Mediterranean
The ship Passenger and cargo liner used as troopship, United Kingdom
Built Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn; launched 24 August 1926
Size 461.4 ft (140.6 m); 8,602 GRT
Aboard about 2,000 US troops and about 200 crew
Lives lost 1,138 (1,015 US personnel); 819 rescued
In convoy KMF 26 she was struck by a Henschel Hs 293 radio-guided glide bomb launched from a Heinkel He 177, the only ship hit of almost 30 bombs launched. The bomb hit her port side by the engine room, destroying lifeboats and flooding the ship.
Why she is remembered Long kept secret, with the US first suggesting a submarine; the guided bomb was only disclosed in 1967. Memorials stand at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery and elsewhere.
The wreck today No wreck details in the source.
Sources differ A further 35 US troops died later of wounds.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: George Duncan's Maritime Disasters of World War II, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Mutsu Explosion
8 June 1943 · Hashirajima fleet anchorage, Japan
The ship Nagato-class dreadnought battleship, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Yokosuka Naval Arsenal; launched 1920
Size 215.8 m as built, 224.94 m after 1934 to 1936 rebuild; 32,720 t standard as built, 39,050 t in 1943
Aboard about 1,474 crew plus 113 flying cadets and 40 instructors
Lives lost 1,121; 353 rescued
While at anchor, the magazine of her No. 3 turret exploded, cutting her in two. The forward part capsized and sank at once and the stern followed. The navy's inquiry blamed sabotage by a disgruntled crewman, though defective ammunition or accidental fire have also been suggested.
Why she is remembered Lost at anchor without an enemy in sight; her relics are kept in several Japanese museums.
The wreck today About 75 per cent was salvaged and scrapped in 1970 to 1978. A 35 m section from the bridge to No. 1 turret remains, its highest point 12 m below the surface. Relics are shown at the Mutsu Memorial Museum, Yasukuni Shrine and Etajima.
Sources differ Cause disputed: sabotage (official finding) against defective Type 3 shells or accidental fire.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Italy (Regia Marina)
Roma War
9 September 1943 · Strait of Bonifacio, about 30 km off northern Sardinia
The ship Littorio-class battleship, Italy (Regia Marina)
Built Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico; launched 9 June 1940
Size 240.68 m (789 ft 8 in); 45,485 long tons full load
Aboard 1,849 (official) or 2,021 (Mattesini)
Lives lost 1,253 (official) or 1,393 (revised); 596 survivors
Sailing to surrender under the Italian armistice, the fleet was attacked by German Dornier Do 217s with Fritz X radio-guided bombs. Two hits set off her magazines; she capsized and broke in two. Admiral Carlo Bergamini died with her.
Why she is remembered Sunk by Germany, her former ally, hours after the armistice, with the Fritz X radio-guided bomb; her crew are remembered in Italy as men who did their duty.
The wreck today Found in June 2012 by the underwater robot Pluto Palla designed by Guido Gay, at about 1,000 m.
Sources differ Aboard 1,849 or 2,021; dead 1,253 or 1,393 depending on whether the admiral's staff are counted.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Scharnhorst War
26 December 1943 · Off the North Cape, Norway, Barents Sea
The ship Scharnhorst-class battleship (often called a battlecruiser), Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven; launched 3 October 1936
Size 234.9 m (770 ft 8 in); 32,100 long tons standard, 38,100 long tons full load
Aboard 1,968
Lives lost 1,932; 36 survivors
Sent to attack Arctic convoy JW 55B, she was intercepted by British cruisers and then by the battleship HMS Duke of York at the Battle of the North Cape. Repeated hits and destroyer torpedoes slowed her, and she went down by the bow at 19:45 with her propellers still turning.
Why she is remembered Lost with all but 36 of 1,968 men while attacking an Arctic convoy; her wreck was found in 2000.
The wreck today Found in September 2000 by a joint BBC, NRK and Royal Norwegian Navy expedition with the survey ship Sverdrup II, at about 290 m.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Johnston War
25 October 1944 · Philippine Trench, off Samar, Philippine Sea
The ship Fletcher-class destroyer, United States (US Navy)
Built Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation; launched 25 March 1943
Size 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m); 2,100 long tons standard
Lives lost 186; 141 survivors rescued after 50 hours in the water
At the Battle off Samar, Lieutenant Commander Ernest E. Evans charged a far superior Japanese force to protect the escort carriers, firing over 200 shells at the cruiser Kumano and all ten torpedoes, before being overwhelmed by fire from ships including Yamato.
Why she is remembered Evans was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously; her wreck was for a time the deepest ever found.
The wreck today Debris found by RV Petrel on 30 October 2019; the main wreck identified on 31 March 2021 by Victor Vescovo's DSV Limiting Factor at 6,460 m (21,180 ft), the deepest known wreck until 2022.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Musashi War
24 October 1944 · Sibuyan Sea, Philippines, 13°07'N 122°32'E
The ship Yamato-class battleship, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Mitsubishi Shipyard, Nagasaki; launched 1 November 1940
Size 263 m (862 ft 10 in); 64,000 long tons standard, 71,659 long tons deep load
Aboard about 2,399
Lives lost about 1,023; 1,376 rescued
Sister of Yamato, she was attacked again and again by US carrier aircraft during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Heavily flooded and listing, she capsized at 19:36.
Why she is remembered Sister of Yamato, built to the same giant design; her wreck, holding over 1,000 sailors, was found only in 2015.
The wreck today Found in March 2015 by a team funded by Paul Allen, at about 1,000 m. It holds the remains of over 1,000 sailors.
Sources differ Hits disputed: 11 torpedoes and 10 bombs (Japanese sources), about 19 torpedoes and 17 bombs (other estimates), 10 torpedoes and 16 bombs (US Naval Technical Mission). Depth given as about 900 m, 1,000 m and 1,350 m in different passages.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Lieutenant Tobei Shiraishi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Samuel B. Roberts War
25 October 1944 · Philippine Trench, off Samar, Philippine Sea
The ship John C. Butler-class destroyer escort, United States (US Navy)
Built Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas; launched 20 January 1944
Size 306 ft (93 m); 1,350 long tons
Aboard 224
Lives lost 114 (89 in battle, 25 of wounds or shark attack awaiting rescue); 120 rescued
At the Battle off Samar, under Commander Robert W. Copeland, the small escort fired over 600 rounds of 5-inch ammunition against the Japanese Center Force to protect the escort carriers before she was sunk. Survivors waited about 50 hours for rescue.
Why she is remembered Known as the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship.
The wreck today Found on 22 June 2022 by Victor Vescovo's expedition at 6,890 m (22,620 ft), the deepest known shipwreck.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Tirpitz War
12 November 1944 · Off Håkøya island, Tromsø, Norway
The ship Bismarck-class battleship, Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven; launched 1 April 1939
Size 251 m (823 ft 6 in); 42,900 t standard, 52,600 t full load
Aboard about 1,600
Lives lost about 950 to 1,204 (figures vary); 82 men rescued from inside the upturned hull
Bismarck's sister was lying off Håkøya near Tromsø when, in Operation Catechism, 32 Lancaster bombers dropped 29 Tallboy bombs, scoring two direct hits and a near miss. She listed to 60 degrees within ten minutes, a magazine exploded near turret Caesar, and she capsized; 82 men trapped inside were cut out through her bottom.
Why she is remembered Sister of Bismarck, sunk by heavy Tallboy bombs dropped from Lancasters; the rescue of 82 men cut out of her upturned hull is remembered as part of her story.
The wreck today Broken up where she lay by a Norwegian and German salvage operation between 1948 and 1957; fragments were sold off.
Sources differ Death toll given from about 950 to 1,204.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Indianapolis War
30 July 1945 · Philippine Sea
The ship Portland-class heavy cruiser, United States (US Navy)
Built New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey; launched 7 November 1931
Size 610 ft 3 in; 9,950 long tons standard
Aboard 1,195
Lives lost about 879; 316 rescued
Sailing alone in the Philippine Sea, she was torpedoed twice by the Japanese submarine I-58 and sank in about 12 minutes. About 300 men went down with her; the rest drifted for nearly four days with few rafts, suffering exposure, dehydration and shark attacks, until spotted by a patrol aircraft on 2 August.
Why she is remembered Most of her crew died in the water awaiting rescue. Captain Charles McVay III was court-martialled and exonerated by Congress in 2000; the ordeal is retold in the film Jaws (1975).
The wreck today Found on 19 August 2017 by Paul Allen's research vessel Petrel at about 5,500 m (18,000 ft), well preserved.
Sources differ Deaths from shark attack are given as anything from a few dozen to 150.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Germany
Wilhelm Gustloff War
30 January 1945 · Baltic Sea about 19 nautical miles offshore between Leba and Großendorf, 55°04'22“N 17°25'17”E
The ship Cruise ship, later hospital ship, barracks ship and evacuation transport, Germany
Built Blohm und Voss, Hamburg (yard 511); launched 5 May 1937
Size 208.5 m; 25,484 GRT
Aboard 6,050 officially recorded; 10,582 according to Heinz Schön (including 8,956 civilians)
Lives lost about 9,343 (Schön) or about 9,600 (Discovery Channel analysis); about 1,252 rescued
During Operation Hannibal, the evacuation of East Prussia ahead of the Soviet advance, the overcrowded ship was hit by three torpedoes from the Soviet submarine S-13 under Alexander Marinesko at about 21:00. German vessels, including the torpedo boat T36 and Löwe, rescued about 1,252 people.
Why she is remembered Her death toll, estimated at over 9,000, is the subject of Günter Grass's novel Crabwalk (2002) and the films Darkness Fell on Gotenhafen (1960) and Die Gustloff (2008).
The wreck today Lies at 44 m; classified as a war grave. The Polish Maritime Office prohibits diving, anchoring and fishing within 500 m.
Sources differ Numbers aboard and lost are estimates: aboard 6,050 or 10,582, dead about 9,343 or about 9,600.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Yamato War
7 April 1945 · East China Sea, about 290 km south-west of Kyushu
The ship Yamato-class battleship, Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy)
Built Kure Naval Arsenal; launched 8 August 1940
Size 263 m (862 ft 10 in); 71,659 t full load
Aboard 3,233
Lives lost about 3,055; about 277 survivors
The lead ship of the Yamato class was sent on a one-way mission, Operation Ten-Go, to beach herself at Okinawa. US carrier aircraft hit her with at least 11 torpedoes and 6 bombs between 12:37 and 14:23; she capsized and sank rapidly.
Why she is remembered A national symbol in Japan, the subject of the Space Battleship Yamato anime and the 2005 film Yamato, and of the Yamato Museum in Kure.
The wreck today Located in the 1980s at about 340 m; surveyed digitally in 2016. The wreck holds the remains of most of her crew.
Sources differ Loss given as 3,055 or 3,063 (Garzke and Dulin).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Hasuya Hirohata, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Affray Other causes
16 April 1951 · Hurd Deep, English Channel, 17 miles north-west of Alderney, at 86 m
The ship Amphion-class submarine, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Cammell Laird, Birkenhead; launched 12 April 1945
Size 1,385 t surfaced, 1,620 t submerged
Aboard 75, including 13 sub-lieutenants and 7 engineering lieutenants under training and four Royal Marines
Lives lost all 75
With officers under training aboard, she failed to surface. When found, her snort mast was broken; the inquiry named this the primary cause, while others suggested a battery explosion or a failed snort float valve letting in about 13 tons of water a minute.
Why she is remembered Her loss with all 75 aboard was long debated; reports of trapped crew signalling were later dismissed by the Admiralty.
The wreck today Found on 14 June 1951 by HMS Loch Fyne; HMS Reclaim's underwater camera read her name. A controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 since 2001.
Sources differ Cause disputed: broken snort (inquiry), battery explosion (Sir Victor Shepheard), snort float valve failure (recent theory).
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Thresher Other causes
10 April 1963 · Atlantic, about 350 km (220 mi) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The ship Permit-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, United States (US Navy)
Built Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; launched 9 July 1960
Size 279 ft (85 m); 3,540 short tons light, 3,770 short tons submerged
Aboard 129 (16 officers, 96 enlisted, plus shipyard personnel)
Lives lost all 129
On deep-diving trials after an overhaul, a brazed salt-water pipe joint probably failed, flooding the engine room and shutting down the reactor. Ice in the air lines stopped the crew blowing the ballast tanks, and she sank past her limits and broke up.
Why she is remembered Her loss created the US Navy SUBSAFE programme in December 1963.
The wreck today Found by USNS Mizar on 27 June 1964 at about 2,600 m (8,400 ft); the bathyscaphe Trieste II dived on the wreck in 1964.
Sources differ Bruce Rule's 2013 acoustic analysis argues an electrical failure, not flooding, began the loss.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Israel (Israeli Navy)
INS Dakar Missing
Also known as HMS Totem
25 January 1968 · Eastern Mediterranean between Cyprus and Crete, about 3,000 m deep
The ship Modified T-class diesel-electric submarine, Israel (Israeli Navy)
Built HM Dockyard Devonport; launched 29 September 1943
Size 276 ft 6 in (84.28 m); 1,290 t surfaced, 1,560 t submerged
Aboard 69
Lives lost all 69
Bought from Britain and commissioned in November 1967, she left the UK on 9 January 1968 for Haifa. Her last message came on 25 January and she was declared missing the next day. The cause is unknown.
Why she is remembered One of the great mysteries of the Israeli Navy, searched for over three decades; memorial at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem.
The wreck today Found on 24 May 1999 by a US and Israeli team led by Thomas Kent Dettweiler of Nauticos at about 3,000 m. Her conning tower was recovered and is displayed at the Naval Museum in Haifa.
Sources differ Crew listed as 61 and 69; early buoy analysis placed her wrongly at 150 to 326 m.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Warships and Submarines · Soviet Union (Soviet Navy)
K-129 Missing
8 March 1968 (implosion detected) · North Pacific about 1,560 miles north-west of Hawaii, 40.1°N 179.9°E, at about 5,000 m
The ship Project 629A diesel ballistic missile submarine, Soviet Union (Soviet Navy)
Carrying three nuclear missiles in her sail, she was lost after an implosion detected acoustically on 8 March 1968. The Soviet search failed, but the United States located her and in 1974 used the Hughes Glomar Explorer in the secret Project Azorian to lift part of her.
Why she is remembered Project Azorian, the attempt to raise her with the Hughes Glomar Explorer, is a Cold War intelligence operation documented in many books and documentaries.
The wreck today In 1974 only a 38 ft (12 m) bow section was recovered after the grab's claws failed. It held two nuclear torpedoes, the bell and six crewmen, who were buried at sea with military honours. The rest lies at about 5,000 m.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Warships and Submarines · France (French Navy)
Minerve Missing
27 January 1968 · Gulf of Lion, wreck about 45 km south of Toulon, Mediterranean
The ship Daphné-class diesel-electric submarine, France (French Navy)
Built Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes; launched 31 May 1961
Size 57.75 m (189 ft 6 in); 860 t surfaced, 1,038 t submerged
Aboard 52 (6 officers, 46 enlisted)
Lives lost all 52
Returning to Toulon on snorkel in very bad weather, she reported she would arrive within the hour at 07:55. Nothing more was heard. The weather is thought the only plausible cause.
Why she is remembered Lost two days after INS Dakar; families waited 51 years for her to be found.
The wreck today Found on 21 July 2019 by Ocean Infinity's Seabed Constructor at 2,350 m, scattered over 300 m with 'MINE' readable on the hull. Victor Vescovo and Hervé Fauve placed a granite plaque on her in February 2020.
Sources differ Crew listed as 45 in specifications, 52 in the loss account.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United States (US Navy)
USS Scorpion Missing
22 May 1968 · North Atlantic about 740 km south-west of the Azores, 32°55'N 33°09'W
The ship Skipjack-class nuclear-powered submarine, United States (US Navy)
Built General Dynamics Electric Boat; launched 29 December 1959
Size 251 ft 8 in (76.71 m); 3,075 long tons full load
Aboard 99
Lives lost all 99
Returning to Norfolk from the Mediterranean, she was watching Soviet naval units near the Azores when contact was lost; she sank and imploded below crush depth.
Why she is remembered Her cause of loss has never been settled, and the secret search for her and Thresher provided cover for Robert Ballard's 1985 Titanic search.
The wreck today Found in October 1968 by USNS Mizar at about 9,800 ft (3,000 m), using Bayesian search theory under John Craven; photographed by Ballard with Alvin in 1985 to 1986.
Sources differ Official finding: cause cannot be ascertained. Theories include a Mark 37 torpedo, a battery explosion, hull failure, a trash disposal unit fault or Soviet attack.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: United States Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Argentina (Argentine Navy)
ARA General Belgrano War
Also known as USS Phoenix (1938 to 1951); 17 de Octubre (1951 to 1956)
2 May 1982 · South Atlantic, 55°24'S 61°32'W, outside the British exclusion zone
The ship Brooklyn-class light cruiser, Argentina (Argentine Navy)
Built New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey; launched March 1938
Size 608.3 ft (185.4 m); 12,242 tons full load
Aboard 1,138 (about 1,093 present at the attack)
Lives lost 323 (321 crew, 2 civilians); 772 rescued
During the Falklands War the British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror hit her with two Mark 8 torpedoes, one in the bow and one aft. Power failed, no distress call could be sent, and Captain Bonzo ordered abandon ship; survivors spent up to 43 hours in rafts in bad weather.
Why she is remembered Her sinking outside the exclusion zone remains controversial, remembered also for The Sun's 'Gotcha' headline. Captain Bonzo himself called it an act of war, not a war crime.
The wreck today Not found by a 2003 National Geographic expedition. Declared a war grave under Argentine law 25.546.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Sheffield War
hit 4 May 1982, sank 10 May 1982 · South Atlantic off the Falklands, 53°04'S 56°56'W, in 1,000 fathoms
The ship Type 42 guided missile destroyer, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness; launched 10 June 1971
Size 125 m; 4,820 tonnes
Aboard 281
Lives lost 20
An AM39 Exocet fired from an Argentine Super Etendard hit her starboard side. Damage to the fire main crippled firefighting, and after nearly four hours Captain Salt ordered abandon ship. She rolled over and sank under tow six days later.
Why she is remembered Lessons from her loss led to changes in fire safety and crew clothing. The idea that an aluminium superstructure caused her loss is a myth: it was steel.
The wreck today Lies in deep water at the edge of the exclusion zone; designated a war grave under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Sources differ Wounded given as 26 to 63; crew given as 281 total and as 21 officers plus 249 ratings.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Hugh Llewelyn from Keynsham, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Warships and Submarines · Soviet Union (Soviet Navy)
K-278 Komsomolets Fire
7 April 1989 · Norwegian Sea about 180 km south-west of Bear Island, 73°43'26“N 13°15'58”E
The ship Project 685 Plavnik (Mike class) nuclear-powered submarine with titanium pressure hull, Soviet Union (Soviet Navy)
Built Sevmash, Severodvinsk (yard 510); launched 3 June 1983
Size 117.5 m (385 ft); 4,400 to 5,750 t surfaced, 6,400 to 8,000 t submerged
Aboard 69
Lives lost 42 (9 in the accident and sinking, 30 of hypothermia, 3 aboard the rescue ship); 27 survivors
A short circuit started a fire in an engineering compartment that spread through cable openings in the bulkheads. She surfaced and stayed afloat for about five hours before sinking; most of the dead died of cold in the water, and only one of five men in the escape capsule survived.
Why she is remembered She dived to a record 1,020 m in 1984, and her wreck, holding a reactor and two nuclear torpedoes, is still monitored for radiation.
The wreck today Lies at 1,680 m. Plutonium leakage was found in 1994 and openings were sealed in 1995 to 1996; a Norwegian and Russian expedition in 2019 detected radioactive leakage, and monitoring continues yearly.
Sources Wikipedia
Warships and Submarines · Russia (Russian Navy)
Kursk (K-141) Explosion
12 August 2000 · Barents Sea about 135 km from Severomorsk, 69°40'N 37°35'E, depth 108 m
The ship Oscar II-class (Project 949A Antey) nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, Russia (Russian Navy)
Built Severodvinsk; launched 1994
Aboard 118
Lives lost all 118
During an exercise, high-test peroxide leaked from a faulty weld in a Type 65 practice torpedo and exploded; a second blast 135 seconds later wrecked the forward compartments. Twenty-three men survived for a time in the ninth compartment but died in a flash fire. Russia at first refused British and Norwegian help.
Why she is remembered Her loss and the refusal of early foreign help drew worldwide attention; she is the subject of the film Kursk (2018) directed by Thomas Vinterberg.
The wreck today Raised in 2001 by the Dutch firms Mammoet and Smit International after the bow was cut off, and brought into a floating dock at Severomorsk.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Warships and Submarines · Argentina (Argentine Navy)
ARA San Juan Explosion
15 November 2017 · South Atlantic off Patagonia, wreck at 45°56'59“S 59°46'22”W
The ship TR-1700-class diesel-electric submarine, Argentina (Argentine Navy)
Built Thyssen Nordseewerke, Emden; launched 20 June 1983
Size 67.30 m (220.8 ft); 2,140 t surfaced, 2,336 t submerged
Aboard 44
Lives lost all 44
Water entering through the snorkel reached the forward batteries and started a fire. Contact was lost on 15 November and an acoustic event consistent with an implosion was detected within hours.
Why she is remembered A huge international search involving more than 40 countries; a memorial was unveiled at Mar del Plata Naval Base in 2021.
The wreck today Found on 16 November 2018 by Ocean Infinity from the ship Seabed Constructor at 907 m, wreckage spread over 8,000 square metres.
Sources differ Complement listed as 37 in specifications, but 44 were aboard.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships
Lady of the Lake Ice
11 May 1833 · About 400 km (250 miles) east of Cape St Francis, Newfoundland (also given as 250 miles east of Cape Race), North Atlantic
The ship Brig (emigrant ship)
Built Aberdeen built
Aboard About 280 crew and passengers
Lives lost Sources vary from 170 to 265; 15 survived
Sailing from Belfast to Quebec under Captain John Grant, she was holed on the starboard bow by ice while working between floes. A lifeboat capsized and the brig sank; 15 survivors spent 75 hours in an open boat before the brig Harvest Home picked them up.
Why she is remembered A major emigrant disaster of 1833, recorded in contemporary newspapers and shipwreck histories.
Sources differ Deaths given as 170 to 265 (Wikipedia) and about 265 (Newfoundland Grand Banks site).
Sources Wikipedia · ngb.chebucto.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
Lexington Fire
13 January 1840 · Long Island Sound off Eaton's Neck, New York, about 4 miles from the Long Island shore
The ship Wooden paddlewheel passenger steamboat, United States
Built 1834 to 1835, New York, commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt; converted from wood to coal firing in 1839
Size 205 to 207 ft long (Huntington Historical Society: 220 ft), 21 ft wide; 488 gross tons
Aboard About 143 to 150 people
Lives lost Estimates range from 139 to over 150
Bound from New York to Stonington, Connecticut, with 150 bales of cotton on deck and a reported 50,000 dollars in coin, she caught fire at about 7 pm when the overheated smoke pipe set the cotton alight. The tiller ropes burned through, the boats were swamped, and ice and low tide stopped rescuers putting out. Only four men survived, clinging to cotton bales; second mate David Crowley drifted some 43 to 48 hours before landing at Baiting Hollow.
Why she is remembered The worst maritime disaster in the history of Long Island Sound. The inquiry condemned carrying cotton on passenger boats, and Nathaniel Currier's lithograph of the fire became one of his first best-selling prints. Bill Bleyer's book 'The Sinking of the Lexington on Long Island Sound' tells the story.
The wreck today An 1842 salvage attempt raised her briefly and recovered a 30 lb mass of melted silver coins, but the chains snapped and she broke into three pieces and sank again. The remains lie off Old Field Point, north-west of Port Jefferson, in about 80 to 140 ft of water; the locations of the paddlewheel and bow sections are known.
Sources differ Built 1834 (Linda Hall Library) versus 1835 (NJ Scuba, Huntington Historical Society). Length 205 to 207 ft versus 220 ft. Aboard 143 versus about 150. Death toll 139 (Linda Hall Library, Huntington Historical Society), up to 149 (Riverhead News Review), over 150 (Connecticut History), 146 to 156 (usdeadlyevents). Crowley adrift 43 hours (Huntington) versus about 48 hours (Riverhead). Survivor surname spelt Hillard or Hilliard.
Sources connecticuthistory.org · lindahall.org · riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com · usdeadlyevents.com · huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org · njscuba.net
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
SS Arctic Collision
27 September 1854 · About 50 miles off Newfoundland, North Atlantic
The ship Paddle steamer (transatlantic), United States
Built Launched 28 January 1850, William H. Brown shipyard, New York
Size 284 ft; 2,856 American tons burthen
Aboard About 400 (about 250 passengers and 150 crew)
Lives lost More than 300; 88 survived (64 crew, 24 male passengers)
Bound from Liverpool to New York, Arctic collided in fog with the small French steamer Vesta and was holed below the waterline. Her six lifeboats, enough for about 180, were largely taken by crew amid disorder, and she sank four hours later. All the women and children aboard died.
Why she is remembered No inquiry was held and nobody was held to account; the loss exposed inadequate lifeboat provision. A memorial stands at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States, Collins Line
SS Pacific Missing
Disappeared January 1856 · Unknown, on passage Liverpool to New York, North Atlantic
The ship Wooden-hulled side-wheel steamer (transatlantic), United States, Collins Line
Built Launched 1 February 1849, Brown and Bell, New York
Size 281 ft (85.6 m); 2,707 GRT
Aboard 186 (45 passengers, 141 crew)
Lives lost All 186
Under the noted Captain Asa Eldridge she left Liverpool westbound and was never seen again. A message in a bottle attributed to passenger William Graham spoke of icebergs around the ship.
Why she is remembered A Blue Riband holder from September 1850 to August 1851, her disappearance has never been explained.
The wreck today Not found. A 1991 claim of her bow in the Irish Sea is uncorroborated and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales thought it unlikely to be her.
Sources differ The authenticity of the 1861 bottle message is not established.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Hamburg (Hamburg America Line, HAPAG)
SS Austria Fire
13 September 1858 · North Atlantic, on passage from Hamburg to New York
The ship Steam-powered emigrant ship with sails of the Hamburg America Line (HAPAG), Hamburg (Hamburg America Line, HAPAG)
Built Caird and Co., Greenock, Scotland; launched 23 June 1857; maiden voyage 1 May 1858, Hamburg to Southampton and New York
Size 311.7 ft by 42.6 ft (Deutschlandmuseum: just under 100 m); 2,684 gross tons
Aboard Over 540 people
Lives lost Figures vary: 449 (trains-worldexpresses), 456 (Deutschlandmuseum), 471 (Norway Heritage), over 500 (Currier and Ives print)
On her voyage from Hamburg to New York a fire broke out while the lower decks were being fumigated with tar, a routine disinfection before reaching the high seas. The crew could not stop the steam engine, and the ship's speed and a strong wind spread the flames very quickly. Two nearby ships rescued only 89 people.
Why she is remembered Probably the greatest maritime disaster of the peak years of German emigration in the 1850s. The fire was depicted in a Currier and Ives lithograph published in New York, now in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
The wreck today Never found; she was lost in the open Atlantic.
Sources differ Death toll 449 (trains-worldexpresses), 456 (Deutschlandmuseum), 471 (Norway Heritage) and over 500 (inscription on the 1858 Currier and Ives print).
Sources deutschlandmuseum.de · rmg.co.uk · norwayheritage.com · trains-worldexpresses.com
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (Liverpool and Australian Steam Navigation Co)
Royal Charter Storm
26 October 1859 · Porth Helaeth, Dulas Bay, north-east Anglesey, Wales; 53°22′17″N 4°15′20″W
The ship Steam clipper, United Kingdom (Liverpool and Australian Steam Navigation Co)
Built Launched 1855, Sandycroft Ironworks, River Dee, Wales
Size 326 ft; 2,719 GRT
Aboard About 483 (371 passengers, 112 crew and others)
Lives lost About 450 (over 450); 39 survivors, all men
Homeward bound from Australia to Liverpool with gold and many returning miners, she was caught by a hurricane force storm. Her engines could not make headway, she was driven onto rocks and broke up quickly under huge waves.
Why she is remembered The loss led Robert FitzRoy to introduce the first gale warning service, a forerunner of modern forecasting. Charles Dickens wrote of the aftermath in The Uncommercial Traveller.
The wreck today Iron remains lie in less than 5 m of water; gold sovereigns and personal items have been recovered; unprotected.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
PS Lady Elgin Collision
8 September 1860 · Lake Michigan off Port Clinton, Illinois (today the Highland Park and Highwood area)
The ship Wooden side-wheel steamer (Great Lakes passenger steamer), United States
Built 1851, Bidwell and Banta, Buffalo, New York
Size 252 ft long, 32.66 ft beam; 1,037.70 gross tons
Aboard Unknown; passenger manifest lost
Lives lost About 300 (sources vary); 98 saved
In a gale the schooner Augusta, showing only a single white light, rammed the Lady Elgin, which broke apart within about twenty minutes. Many victims came from Milwaukee's Irish community.
Why she is remembered The greatest loss of life on open water in Great Lakes history. Henry Clay Work wrote the song Lost on the Lady Elgin (1861), and Northwestern student Edward Spencer, who saved 17 people, is honoured by a plaque.
The wreck today Found in 1989 by Harry Zych off Highland Park and awarded to him in 1999; artifacts went to the Chicago Maritime Museum in 2023.
Sources differ Death toll stated as about 300 with sources varying.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
Sultana Explosion
27 April 1865 · Mississippi River about 7 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee; 35.19056°N 90.11444°W
The ship Side-wheel steamboat (Mississippi riverboat), United States
Built Launched 3 January 1863, John Litherbury boatyard, Cincinnati, Ohio
Size 260 ft long, 42 ft beam; 1,719 GRT
Aboard 2,127 (about 1,950 paroled Union prisoners, 22 guards, 70 paying passengers, 85 crew)
Lives lost 1,164 (most recent estimate)
Grossly overcrowded with Union soldiers freed from Confederate prison camps, Sultana was heading north when three of her four boilers exploded, a poorly repaired boiler and low water levels being contributory. The disaster was overshadowed by the end of the Civil War and the death of Lincoln's assassin the day before.
Why she is remembered No one was held accountable. Monuments stand in several states and a Sultana museum is in Marion, Arkansas.
The wreck today Remains believed found in 1982 by Jerry O. Potter about 32 ft under an Arkansas soybean field some 4 miles from Memphis, far from the present river channel.
Sources differ Deaths: 1,164 (recent); 1,238 (Gen. Hoffman, 1865); 1,100 (Bureau of Military Justice, 1867); 1,259 (Congress/War Dept, 1880); 1,547 (US Customs Service).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Thomas W. Bankes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered London)
SS London Storm
11 January 1866 · Bay of Biscay
The ship Steamship (passenger, London to Melbourne), United Kingdom (registered London)
Built Launched 20 July 1864, Money Wigram and Sons, Blackwall Yard
Size 276.6 ft (84.3 m); 1,429 GRT
Aboard 263 (also given as 239)
Lives lost 244 (also given as 220)
Overloaded with railway iron and deck coal, she met heavy seas in the Bay of Biscay; cargo shifted and her fires went out. On 11 January a great wave flooded the engine room and she sank stern first, lifeboats swamping as they were launched.
Why she is remembered The loss fed Samuel Plimsoll's campaign that led to the Plimsoll line against overloading. Victims included actor Gustavus Vaughan Brooke and John Woolley, first principal of the University of Sydney.
Sources differ Aboard 263 or 239; lost 244 or 220.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Dickson Gregory, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Liverpool)
SS Atlantic Reef and rocks
1 April 1873 · Marr's Head, Meagher's Island, Lower Prospect, Nova Scotia, Canada
The ship Oceanic-class transatlantic liner (White Star Line), United Kingdom (registered Liverpool)
Built Launched 26 November 1870, completed 3 June 1871, Harland and Wolff, Belfast, yard no. 74
Size 128.4 m (421.3 ft); 3,707 tons register
Aboard 952 (835 passengers, 14 stowaways, 103 crew)
Lives lost At least 535; also given as 535 to 560
Fearing she was short of coal, the captain diverted to Halifax in heavy weather and poor visibility. Atlantic ran onto a rocky ledge at near full speed and capsized, her lifeboats washed away. Crew rigged lines to the shore that saved many, but all 156 women aboard died and only one child survived.
Why she is remembered Victims lie in mass graves at Terence Bay and Lower Prospect, artifacts at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the SS Atlantic Heritage Park.
The wreck today Heavily fragmented in 12 to 18 m (40 to 60 ft) of water.
Sources differ Deaths given as at least 535 and as 535 to 560.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · France, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
SS Ville du Havre Collision
Also known as Napoléon III
22 November 1873 · Mid Atlantic, about 47°21′N 35°31′W
The ship Ocean liner (iron steamship), France, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
Built Launched 11 February 1865, Thames Iron Works, London
Size 128.50 m; 5,065 tons
Aboard 313
Lives lost 226; 87 survived
Crossing the Atlantic, she collided with the British iron clipper Loch Earn and sank in less than 12 minutes. Survivors were picked up by Loch Earn and then the American ship Tremountain.
Why she is remembered Horatio Spafford, whose family was aboard, wrote the hymn It Is Well with My Soul; Philip Bliss named its tune Ville du Havre.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, French Liners collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, London Steamboat Co
SS Princess Alice Collision
Also known as PS Bute
3 September 1878 · Gallions Reach, River Thames, London
The ship Passenger paddle steamer (Thames excursion), United Kingdom, London Steamboat Co
Built 1865, Caird and Co, Greenock
Size 219.4 ft; 432 GRT
Aboard Unknown, close to full capacity; no lists kept
Lives lost Between 600 and 700; about 640 bodies recovered; about 130 survived
Carrying excursion passengers, she took the wrong sailing line and was struck by the collier Bywell Castle, split in two and sank within four minutes in water heavily polluted by sewage outfalls.
Why she is remembered The disaster led the Metropolitan Board of Works to treat sewage rather than discharge it raw, and gave the Thames police steam launches. Memorials stand at Woolwich Cemetery and Barking Creek.
The wreck today Bought for £350; the engines were salvaged and the rest broken up.
Sources differ Deaths between 600 and 700; The Times gave 630 to 650.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, Anchor Line
SS Utopia Collision
17 March 1891 · Bay of Gibraltar
The ship Transatlantic passenger steamship, United Kingdom, Anchor Line
Built Launched 14 February 1874, Robert Duncan and Co, Glasgow
Size 350 ft (110 m); 2,371 GRT
Aboard 880 (815 third class and 3 first class passengers, 59 crew, 3 stowaways)
Lives lost 562 dead or missing, plus 2 rescuers from HMS Immortalité
Entering Gibraltar, her captain, dazzled by a searchlight, misjudged the anchorage and Utopia struck the ram of the moored battleship HMS Anson. She listed suddenly, crushing her boats, and sank within 20 minutes.
Why she is remembered The court ruling on wreck liability set a precedent in maritime law for 35 years.
The wreck today Raised in July 1892, taken to Scotland and scrapped in 1900.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Ms. Georgina Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Germany, Norddeutscher Lloyd (Bremen)
SS Elbe Collision
31 January 1895 · North Sea
The ship Transatlantic ocean liner, Germany, Norddeutscher Lloyd (Bremen)
Built Launched 2 April 1881, John Elder and Co, Govan, Glasgow
Size 416.5 ft (126.9 m); 4,510 GRT
Aboard 354
Lives lost 334; 20 survived
In stormy conditions at about 5:30 am she was struck by the steamship Crathie. Frozen davit ropes stopped most lifeboats being launched, and the only survivors were the 20 in a single boat picked up by the fishing smack Wildflower.
Why she is remembered A Rotterdam court found Crathie solely to blame; Kaiser Wilhelm II rewarded the Wildflower's crew.
The wreck today Located by Dutch amateur divers in 1987; recovered glass and porcelain confirmed her identity.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, Castle Mail Packet Company (Donald Currie and Co)
SS Drummond Castle Reef and rocks
16 June 1896 · Fromveur Sound off Ushant, Brittany, France
The ship Passenger steamship, United Kingdom, Castle Mail Packet Company (Donald Currie and Co)
Built Launched 17 February 1881, John Elder and Co, Govan, Glasgow
Size 365 ft; 3,706 GRT
Aboard 245 (143 passengers, 102 crew)
Lives lost 242; 3 survived
Homeward bound from Cape Town to London, she struck rocks in fog in the dangerous waters off Ushant and sank within four minutes. Two crew were rescued by Breton fishermen and one passenger reached Molène.
Why she is remembered A Board of Trade inquiry blamed careless or unskilful navigation; the loss remains a significant memory for the islanders of Ushant and Molène.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · France, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
SS La Bourgogne Collision
4 July 1898 · About 60 nautical miles from Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, North Atlantic
The ship Ocean liner and mail ship, France, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
Built Launched 8 October 1885, completed May 1886, Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne
Size 508 ft (155 m); 7,395 GRT
Aboard 725 (503 passengers, 222 crew)
Lives lost 562; 163 survived, only one of about 200 women passengers
Steaming fast in dense fog contrary to good practice, she collided with the sailing ship Cromartyshire and sank.
Why she is remembered Considered the worst North Atlantic disaster until Titanic; litigation ran until 1908 and a US Supreme Court decision upheld the owners' limitation of liability.
The wreck today Not yet found; believed to lie about 70 miles off Sable Island, Nova Scotia.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, Atlantic Transport Line
SS Mohegan Reef and rocks
Also known as Launched as Cleopatra, renamed Mohegan October 1898
14 October 1898 · The Manacles, off the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, English Channel
The ship Steamship carrying passengers and cargo (Atlantic Transport Line), United Kingdom, Atlantic Transport Line
Built Launched April 1898, Earle's Shipbuilding and Engine Co, Hull
Size 475 ft (145 m); 6,889 GRT
Aboard 157
Lives lost 106
Steering a wrong course after passing the Eddystone, she ran at full speed onto the Manacles and sank within 12 minutes; Captain Griffith and all officers died. The Porthoustock lifeboat saved 44 people and other boats 7 more.
Why she is remembered Most of the dead lie in a mass grave at St Keverne churchyard, with a memorial window from the line; the disaster led to the founding of the Coverack lifeboat station.
The wreck today A popular dive site; her bell is at the Bell Inn, Thetford, Norfolk.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Denmark (Thingvalla Line, later DFDS)
SS Norge Reef and rocks
Also known as Pieter de Coninck (1881 to 1889)
28 June 1904 · Hasselwood Rock near Rockall, North Atlantic; 57°35′48″N 13°41′19″W
The ship Passenger steamship (emigrant liner), Denmark (Thingvalla Line, later DFDS)
Built 1881, Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Glasgow, yard 252
Size 346.5 ft (105.6 m); 3,310 GRT
Aboard 795 (727 passengers, 68 crew)
Lives lost More than 635; about 160 survivors, several of whom died later
Carrying Scandinavian emigrants to New York, she ran onto Hasselwood Rock near Rockall in fog. She sank about twelve minutes later, and waves damaged her lifeboats.
Why she is remembered The worst disaster in Danish maritime history and the biggest civilian maritime disaster in the Atlantic until Titanic.
The wreck today Found off Rockall in July 2003 in 65 m of water.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: John S. Johnston, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
PS General Slocum Fire
15 June 1904 · East River, New York City; beached on North Brother Island
The ship Side-wheel passenger steamboat (excursion), United States
Built Launched 18 April 1891, Divine Burtis Jr, Brooklyn, New York
Size 264 ft; 1,284 GRT
Aboard 1,388 (1,358 passengers, 30 crew)
Lives lost An estimated 1,021
Chartered for a church picnic by St Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Little Germany, she caught fire in a forward cabin. The captain kept steaming, fanning the flames, before beaching on North Brother Island; rotted fire hoses and defective life preservers meant most of the dead were women and children.
Why she is remembered Captain Van Schaick was convicted of criminal negligence, safety rules were tightened, and a memorial fountain stands in Tompkins Square Park.
The wreck today Salvaged and converted into the barge Maryland, which foundered off New Jersey on 4 December 1911 with no loss of life.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, London and South Western Railway
SS Hilda Reef and rocks
18 November 1905 · Pierre de Portes rocks near Saint-Malo, Brittany, France; about 48.67°N 2.10°W
The ship Passenger steamship (cross-Channel), United Kingdom, London and South Western Railway
Built 1882, Aitken and Mansel, Whiteinch, Glasgow
Size 235 ft 6 in (71.78 m); 848 GRT
Aboard 131 (103 passengers, 28 crew)
Lives lost At least 125; 6 passengers and 1 seaman survived
Sailing from Southampton to Saint-Malo, she met snow squalls and poor visibility and after several attempts to enter harbour struck the Pierre de Portes rocks at about 23:00. She broke in two about 15 minutes later and most of her boats were lost.
Why she is remembered About 70 of the dead were Breton Onion Johnnies returning from selling produce in Britain; at the 2005 centenary a string of onions was laid on the wreck.
The wreck today Lies in about 25 m of water; her propeller was raised in 1997 and is displayed in Dinard.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
SS Valencia Reef and rocks
22 January 1906 · Near Cape Beale, south-west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific
The ship Coastal passenger liner, United States
Built 1882, William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia
Size 252 ft (77 m); 1,598 tons
Aboard 9 officers, 56 crew and at least 108 passengers
Lives lost 136 (official); estimates 117 to 181; 37 men survived
Navigating by dead reckoning in poor weather, she missed the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and struck a reef. Most lifeboats capsized or vanished; survivors clung to the rigging until the funnel collapsed. All women and children died.
Why she is remembered Investigations led to the Pachena Point lighthouse (1908) and the life-saving trail with shelters that became the West Coast Trail (1911).
The wreck today The wreck lies on the seabed. Lifeboat No. 5 was found in Barkley Sound in 1933 and is displayed at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.
Sources differ Deaths official 136; estimates range 117 to 181.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), White Star Line
RMS Titanic Ice
15 April 1912 · North Atlantic, about 325 nautical miles south-southeast of Newfoundland; wreck at 41°43′32″N 49°56′49″W
The ship Olympic-class ocean liner, United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), White Star Line
Built Launched 31 May 1911, Harland and Wolff, Belfast
Size 882 ft 9 in (269.1 m); 46,329 GRT
Aboard About 2,208 (1,317 passengers and about 866 crew)
Lives lost Approximately 1,500 (estimates vary)
At 11:40 pm on 14 April 1912 Titanic struck an iceberg, opening a series of holes below the waterline along her starboard side and breaching five of her sixteen watertight compartments. Water spilled from compartment to compartment over the bulkheads and she sank bow first early on 15 April. Her 20 lifeboats could hold only 1,178 people.
Why she is remembered The disaster spurred major changes in maritime safety regulation and left a lasting legacy in popular culture, including James Cameron's 1997 film Titanic.
The wreck today Found on 1 September 1985 by a French-American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel (IFREMER) and Robert Ballard (Woods Hole). Lies in two main sections about 2,000 ft apart at about 3,800 m (12,500 ft). Eligible for protection under the 2001 UNESCO Convention since 14 April 2012; an international agreement on the wreck has been ratified only by the US and UK. Deteriorating through bacterial corrosion.
Sources differ Death toll given as approximately 1,500 with the note that estimates vary.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), Canadian Pacific
RMS Empress of Ireland Collision
Also known as Names Empress of Germany and Empress of Austria planned before construction
29 May 1914 · Saint Lawrence River near Pointe-au-Père, Quebec, Canada
The ship Ocean liner, United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), Canadian Pacific
Built Laid down 10 April 1905, launched 27 January 1906, Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Govan, yard no. 443
Size 570 ft; 14,191 GRT
Aboard 1,477 (1,057 passengers, 420 crew)
Lives lost 1,012
In fog at 01:56 the Norwegian collier Storstad struck Empress of Ireland amidships, opening a huge hole. She listed heavily to starboard and foundered in only 14 minutes, so that most passengers asleep in lower cabins drowned and only five lifeboats could be launched.
Why she is remembered Presented as Canada's Titanic in a 2014 exhibition. A Lord Mersey inquiry blamed Storstad's chief officer; monuments stand at Rimouski and in Toronto, and the 2014 centenary brought an exhibition, stamps and a coin.
The wreck today Lies at about 40 m (132 ft), dived by advanced divers. Designated a historical and archaeological site in 1999 under Quebec's Cultural Property Act, the first underwater site so protected.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
SS Eastland Other causes
Also known as Later USS Wilmette (1918 to 1945)
24 July 1915 · Chicago River between Clark and LaSalle Streets, Chicago
The ship Great Lakes passenger steamer, United States
Built Launched 6 May 1903, Jenks Ship Building Co, Port Huron, Michigan
Size 265 ft (81 m); 1,961 GRT
Aboard About 2,500 passengers
Lives lost 844
Carrying around 2,500 passengers, the chronically top-heavy Eastland rolled over while still tied to her wharf. Overloading, mishandled ballast and faulty construction were blamed.
Why she is remembered The largest loss of life from a shipwreck on the Great Lakes; many victims were Central and Eastern European immigrant workers.
The wreck today Raised on 14 August 1915, became the gunboat USS Wilmette and was scrapped in 1946 to 1947.
Sources differ Article gives 841 passengers and 2 crew as well as a total of 844. The total is given as 844, but the breakdown given (841 passengers and 2 crew) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Detroit Publishing Company, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), Cunard Line
RMS Lusitania War
7 May 1915 · 11 nautical miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland; 51°24′45″N 08°32′52″W
The ship Ocean liner (Royal Mail Ship), United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), Cunard Line
Built Launched 7 June 1906, John Brown & Co, Clydebank, yard no. 367
Size 787 ft overall; 31,550 GRT
Aboard 1,960 (1,264 passengers, 3 stowaways, 693 crew)
Lives lost 1,195 (official figure); other figures of 1,197 and 1,199 also given
German submarine U-20 fired a single torpedo at 2:10 pm which struck the starboard bow, followed at once by a second internal explosion. Lusitania sank in about 18 minutes and the heavy list meant only six of her 48 lifeboats were launched successfully.
Why she is remembered The deaths of 128 US citizens significantly increased American public support for entering the First World War, which the US did in 1917.
The wreck today Located on 6 October 1935 by a Glasgow expedition using the salvage ship Orphir. Lies on her starboard side in about 93 m (305 ft). Protected as an Irish heritage site under the National Monuments Act (1995). Described as unstable and liable to collapse.
Sources differ Death toll stated as 1,195 (official), 1,197 and 1,199; survivors 764 to 767.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: George Grantham Bain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), White Star Line
HMHS Britannic War
Also known as Intended as RMS Britannic; the name Gigantic is reported but disputed
21 November 1916 · Off Kea, Aegean Sea, Greece; 37°42′05″N 24°17′02″E
The ship Olympic-class ocean liner serving as hospital ship, United Kingdom (registered Liverpool), White Star Line
Built Laid down 30 November 1911, launched 26 February 1914, completed 12 December 1915, Harland and Wolff, Belfast, yard no. 433
Size 882 ft 9 in (269.1 m); 48,158 GRT
Aboard 1,066 (673 crew, 315 RAMC, 77 nurses and the captain)
Lives lost 30
At 08:12 she struck a mine laid by the German submarine U-73 on the starboard side between holds two and three. Open portholes let water pass beyond the bulkheads and Captain Bartlett tried to beach her on Kea. Two lifeboats were drawn into the still turning propellers, killing 30, and she sank 55 minutes after the explosion.
Why she is remembered The largest ship lost in the First World War and sister of Titanic and Olympic.
The wreck today Discovered on 13 November 1975 by Jacques Cousteau using side-scan sonar, at about 122 m (400 ft). Described as the largest intact passenger ship on the seabed; owned by Simon Mills since 1996 and visited by many expeditions.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, British and African Steam Navigation Co (Elder Dempster)
SS Mendi Collision
21 February 1917 · English Channel about 10 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight
The ship Passenger steamship used as troopship, United Kingdom, British and African Steam Navigation Co (Elder Dempster)
Built Launched 18 June 1905, Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Glasgow
Size 370.2 ft; 4,230 GRT
Aboard 823 men of the South African Native Labour Corps plus crew
Lives lost 646 (607 black troops, 9 white officers and NCOs, 30 crew)
Carrying South African labour troops to France, she was accidentally rammed in fog by the cargo ship Darro and sank. Interpreter Isaac Williams Wauchope is reported to have calmed the men with words of unity before she went down.
Why she is remembered Commemorated in South Africa, Britain, France and the Netherlands; South Africa's Order of Mendi for Bravery and naval ships named SAS Mendi honour the dead.
The wreck today Identified in 1974; rests upright and is breaking up; a protected war grave since 2009.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · France, Compagnie des Chargeurs Réunis
SS Afrique Storm
12 to 13 January 1920 · Between Pierre Levée and the Plateau de Rochebonne, about 23 miles (42 km) from Olonne-sur-Mer, Vendée coast, France
The ship Passenger ship (liner to West Africa), France, Compagnie des Chargeurs Réunis
Built Launched 20 November 1907, Swan Hunter, Wallsend
Size 390 ft 11 in (119.15 m); 5,404 GRT
Aboard 609 passengers and crew
Lives lost 575; 34 survived
Bound for Dakar, she lost propulsion in a gale and drifted onto the Rochebonne reef, where her hull broke apart and she sank on 13 January. Among the dead were 192 Senegalese soldiers.
Why she is remembered Since 2016 the association Mémoires et Partages has campaigned for the African soldiers to be recognised as having died for France, and a centenary ceremony was held in Bordeaux in 2020.
The wreck today Remains on the seabed off the French Atlantic coast.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Retirage photographique par Jean-Louis Venet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Italy
SS Principessa Mafalda Other causes
25 October 1927 · Near the Abrolhos Archipelago, about 130 km off Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, South Atlantic
The ship Transatlantic ocean liner, Italy
Built Launched 22 October 1908, completed 9 March 1909, Cantiere Navale di Riva Trigoso
Size 463 ft (141 m); 9,210 GRT
Aboard 1,252 passengers and crew (also given as 971 passengers and 288 crew)
Lives lost 314
A starboard propeller shaft fractured and cut gashes in the hull, and watertight doors could not be fully closed. After power failed, panic broke out and some people who jumped into the sea were attacked by sharks.
Why she is remembered Called the Italian Titanic, it remains the greatest loss of life in Italian merchant shipping history.
The wreck today The exact wreck site is still disputed.
Sources differ Aboard stated as 1,252 and as 971 plus 288 (1,259).
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom
SS Vestris Storm
12 November 1928 · About 200 miles off Hampton Roads, Virginia, North Atlantic; 37°38′N 70°23′W
The ship Ocean liner, United Kingdom
Built Launched 16 May 1912, Workman, Clark and Co, Belfast, yard 303
Size 511 ft overall; 10,494 GRT
Aboard 326 (128 passengers, 198 crew)
Lives lost 111 (68 passengers, 43 crew)
Leaving New York overloaded, with ballast tanks and bunker hatches not properly managed, she met a severe storm; coal and cargo shifted and progressive flooding beat the pumps. Lifeboats carrying mostly women and children sank or were swamped; all 13 children died and Captain William Carey went down with her.
Why she is remembered The disaster influenced the second International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea in 1929.
The wreck today Believed to lie about 2 km deep.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Lamport & Holt Line Ltd, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United States
SS Morro Castle Fire
8 September 1934 · Off Long Beach Island, New Jersey; the burnt hulk grounded at Asbury Park
The ship Ocean liner (Ward Line, New York to Havana), United States
Built Launched 5 March 1930, completed 15 August 1930, Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co, Virginia
Size 480 ft; 11,520 GRT
Aboard 549
Lives lost 137
Returning from Havana in a nor'easter, hours after her captain had died suddenly, she caught fire in a locker in the first class writing room. The fire spread fast through flammable fittings, power failed and lifeboats left partly empty. The cause was never established.
Why she is remembered The disaster exposed poor crew training and fire safety and influenced later maritime safety rules; the hulk on Asbury Park beach drew sightseers.
The wreck today Declared a total loss, towed to Baltimore and scrapped by March 1935.
Sources differ The source's own breakdown of passengers and crew does not add up to its total of 549.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, Donaldson Atlantic Line
SS Athenia War
3 September 1939 · About 60 nautical miles south of Rockall and 200 nautical miles north-west of Inishtrahull, Ireland, North Atlantic
The ship Transatlantic passenger liner (steam turbine), United Kingdom, Donaldson Atlantic Line
Built Launched 28 January 1922, completed 19 April 1923, Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Govan
Size 526.3 ft (160.4 m); 13,465 GRT
Aboard 1,418 (1,103 passengers, 315 crew)
Lives lost 117 (98 passengers and 19 crew)
The German submarine U-30 under Fritz-Julius Lemp torpedoed her without warning while she carried civilians. Germany concealed responsibility until admissions at Nuremberg in 1946.
Why she is remembered The first British ship sunk by Germany in the Second World War; 54 of the dead were Canadian and 28 American.
The wreck today A probable site was located on Rockall Bank in 2017 by David Mearns using sonar; identity not confirmed.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom, Ellerman Lines
SS City of Benares War
17 September 1940 · About 253 miles west-south-west of Rockall, North Atlantic
The ship Ocean liner (steam turbine), United Kingdom, Ellerman Lines
Built Launched 5 August 1936, Barclay, Curle and Co, Glasgow
Size 509 ft (155.1 m) overall; 11,081 GRT
Aboard 408
Lives lost 260, including 77 of the evacuee children
Carrying child evacuees to Canada under the Children's Overseas Reception Board scheme, she was torpedoed in the stern by U-48 at 10:03 pm and sank within 31 minutes.
Why she is remembered Public outrage led Churchill to cancel the CORB overseas evacuation scheme.
Sources differ Children lost: 77 of the 90 evacuees, or 100 of the 119 children aboard in another figure. The total is given as 408, but the breakdown given (90 CORB child evacuees, 91 paying passengers, 168 Indian lascars, 43 British crew) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Norway (built), seized by Germany 1940
MV Goya War
16 April 1945 · Baltic Sea north of Cape Rozewie, Poland
The ship Freighter used as troop and evacuation transport, Norway (built), seized by Germany 1940
Built Launched 4 April 1940, Akers Mekaniske Verksted, Oslo
Size 146 m; 5,230 GRT
Aboard Estimates of over 6,000, 6,700 or 7,200
Lives lost More than 6,000; about 182 saved (other survivor figures 98 to 334)
Packed with refugees and soldiers in the Operation Hannibal evacuation, Goya was hit by two torpedoes from the Soviet submarine L-3 and sank in under four minutes.
Why she is remembered One of the worst maritime disasters in history, exceeded only by the Wilhelm Gustloff.
The wreck today Found on 26 August 2002 by Polish technical divers and surveyed on 16 April 2003 by Ulrich Restemeyer's expedition at 76 m, in good condition. Declared a war grave in 2003; diving prohibited within 500 m since 2006.
Sources differ Aboard over 6,000, 6,700 or 7,200; survivors 98 to 334.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Republic of China
SS Kiangya Explosion
Also known as Later Dongfang Hong 8 (from 1966)
3 to 4 December 1948 · Near the mouth of the Huangpu River, about 50 miles north of Shanghai, China; 31°15′N 121°47′E
The ship Passenger steamship (coastal), Republic of China
Built Completed 1939
Size 2,100 tons displacement
Aboard Official capacity 1,186; manifest 2,150, almost certainly with many more stowaways
Lives lost Estimated 2,750 to 4,000; about 700 survivors
Carrying refugees fleeing the Communist advance in the Chinese Civil War, she was wrecked by an internal explosion, probably a mine possibly laid by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Rescue was slow to arrive.
Why she is remembered Described as the second deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history. Her helm is preserved at the East Zhejiang Maritime Affairs and Folk Customs Museum in Ningbo, and a shoal off Shanghai bears her name.
The wreck today Broken in two; salvaged in 1956, returned to service in 1959, renamed Dongfang Hong 8 in 1966, retired in 1983 and scrapped in 2000.
Sources differ Deaths estimated anywhere from 2,750 to 4,000.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Republic of China
Taiping Collision
27 January 1949 · Near the Zhoushan Archipelago, East China Sea
The ship Passenger steamer, Republic of China
Size Rated for 580 passengers
Aboard Over 1,000 refugees; estimates of over 1,500 passengers
Lives lost Over 1,000 passengers and crew; about 50 survived (also reported as about 1,500 deaths)
Heavily overloaded with refugees fleeing the Communist advance, Taiping left Shanghai for Taiwan on 26 January 1949. Sailing without lights under a wartime curfew, she collided after midnight with the smaller cargo ship Chienyuan and sank rapidly.
Why she is remembered Compared to both the Mayflower and Titanic; a memorial stands at the Keelung naval base in Taiwan and John Woo's 2014 film The Crossing depicts the disaster.
Sources differ Deaths given as over 1,000 by Wikipedia and as 1,500 by MaritimeCyprus.
Sources Wikipedia · maritimecyprus.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Japan, Japanese National Railways
Tōya Maru Storm
26 September 1954 · Tsugaru Strait off Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
The ship Train ferry (ro-ro), Japan, Japanese National Railways
Built Launched 21 November 1947, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kobe, yard 816
Size 118.7 m (389 ft); 3,898 GRT
Aboard About 1,300 passengers (capacity 1,128 passengers plus 120 crew)
Lives lost 1,153 (JNR); up to 1,170; about 150 survived
She left Hakodate at 18:39 as Typhoon Marie approached. Her anchors failed to hold, water entered the engine room through the vehicle deck, and she capsized and sank at about 22:43.
Why she is remembered A major factor behind the building of the Seikan Tunnel.
Sources differ Deaths 1,153 (JNR), 1,159 (breakdown) or up to 1,170.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Italy (registered Genoa), Italian Line
SS Andrea Doria Collision
26 July 1956 · Off Nantucket, Massachusetts, North Atlantic; 40°29.408′N 69°51.046′W
The ship Transatlantic ocean liner, Italy (registered Genoa), Italian Line
Built Launched 16 June 1951, Ansaldo, Genoa, yard no. 918; maiden voyage 14 January 1953
Size 213.80 m (701 ft 5 in); 29,083 GRT
Aboard 1,706 (1,134 passengers, 572 crew)
Lives lost 51 in total: 46 on Andrea Doria and 5 crew of Stockholm
In fog at 11:10 pm on 25 July she was struck by the Swedish liner Stockholm. Her poor stability and unballasted fuel tanks produced a severe list, but she stayed afloat for about 11 hours while rescue ships including Île de France took off 1,660 people. She sank bow first at 10:09 am on 26 July.
Why she is remembered Often called one of the greatest sea rescues in history; rules followed on radar training and radio contact between approaching ships, and Harry Trask's photographs won a 1957 Pulitzer Prize.
The wreck today Visited a week after the sinking by Peter Gimbel and Joseph Fox. Lies at about 58 m and is collapsing; at least 22 divers have died there, earning it the name Mount Everest of scuba diving.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Denmark, Royal Greenland Trading Company
MS Hans Hedtoft Ice
30 January 1959 · About 35 nautical miles south of Cape Farewell, Greenland
The ship Cargo and passenger liner, Denmark, Royal Greenland Trading Company
Built 1958, Frederikshavns Værft, Frederikshavn
Size 82.65 m; 2,857 GRT
Aboard 95 (55 passengers, 40 crew)
Lives lost 95, all aboard
On her maiden voyage she struck an iceberg and sank within hours despite ships answering her distress calls. The only wreckage ever recovered was a life ring that washed ashore in Iceland in October 1959.
Why she is remembered She carried parish registers to Danish archives, a heavy loss for Greenlandic genealogy; Queen Margrethe unveiled a memorial in Copenhagen in 2005.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ Tonnage given as both 2,857 and 2,875 GRT.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Netherlands (1930 to 1963), Greece (1963)
TSMS Lakonia Fire
Also known as Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1930 to 1963)
Fire 22 December 1963; sank 29 December 1963 · Atlantic about 230 nautical miles south-west of Lisbon and 250 nautical miles west of Gibraltar
The ship Ocean liner, later cruise ship, Netherlands (1930 to 1963), Greece (1963)
Built Launched 3 August 1929, completed 13 March 1930, Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij, Amsterdam, yard 194
Size 586.2 ft (178.7 m); 19,040 GRT (20,314 after 1963 conversion)
Aboard 1,022 (646 passengers, 376 crew)
Lives lost 128 (95 passengers, 33 crew), of whom 53 died in the fire itself
On a cruise, fire broke out near the hairdressing salon from faulty wiring north of Madeira. Weak alarms, rusted davits and poor drills hampered evacuation; many died of exposure or injury after jumping. She was taken in tow but sank on 29 December.
Why she is remembered Her loss exposed failings in alarms, lifeboat equipment and drills; cruise passengers are now taught how to hold a lifejacket when jumping from a height.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · New Zealand, Union Steam Ship Company
TEV Wahine Storm
10 April 1968 · Barrett Reef and Wellington Harbour, New Zealand
The ship Turbo-electric ro-ro passenger ferry, New Zealand, Union Steam Ship Company
Built Launched 14 July 1965, Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Glasgow
Size 488 ft (149 m); 8,948 GRT
Aboard 734
Lives lost 53 (51 at the time and 2 later from injuries)
On the overnight crossing from Lyttelton to Wellington she was caught by the storm of Cyclone Giselle, with winds up to 275 km/h. She struck Barrett Reef, drifted into the harbour and capsized at about 14:30 in 11.6 m of water.
Why she is remembered Memorials include Wahine Memorial Park at Seatoun, her mast in Frank Kitts Park and an exhibition at the Wellington Museum.
The wreck today Broken up by a storm in 1969 and dismantled where she lay.
Sources differ The total is given as 734, but the breakdown given (610 passengers, 123 crew) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Soviet Union (built for Germany)
SS Admiral Nakhimov Collision
Also known as SS Berlin
31 August 1986 · Tsemes Bay, about 8 nautical miles from the port of Novorossiysk, Black Sea
The ship Passenger liner (Black Sea cruise ship), Soviet Union (built for Germany)
Built Launched 24 March 1925, Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack, yard 614
Size 174.3 m (571 ft 10 in); 15,286 GRT originally, 17,053 GRT after conversion
Aboard 1,234 (888 passengers, 346 crew)
Lives lost 423 (359 passengers, 64 crew)
At 11:12 pm the bulk carrier Pyotr Vasyov rammed her starboard side, opening a hole of about 84 square metres between the engine and boiler rooms. Missing bulkheads and watertight doors without power meant she sank in about seven minutes.
Why she is remembered Built as the German transatlantic liner Berlin and a Second World War hospital ship before Soviet service; both captains were sentenced to 15 years in 1987.
The wreck today Lies on her starboard side at about 46 m (150 ft); recovery work stopped after two divers died.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Leo Medvedev/Лев Леонидович Медведев, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · United Kingdom (registered Dover)
MS Herald of Free Enterprise Other causes
Also known as Later renamed Flushing Range (1987 to 1988) for her scrapping voyage
6 March 1987 · Just outside Zeebrugge harbour, Belgium, about one kilometre from shore, North Sea
The ship Roll-on/roll-off car and passenger ferry, United Kingdom (registered Dover)
Built Launched 21 December 1979, Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, West Germany; in service 1980
Size 131.91 m; 7,951.44 GT
Aboard 459 passengers and 80 crew
Lives lost 193
The ferry left Zeebrugge with her bow doors open because the assistant boatswain responsible was asleep, and the sea flooded the vehicle deck. She capsized within about 90 seconds, coming to rest on a sandbar in shallow water; most victims died of hypothermia.
Why she is remembered The Sheen inquiry found a disease of sloppiness throughout the company. A failed corporate manslaughter prosecution still set precedent in English law, and new rules required bow door indicators and better subdivision on ro-ro ferries.
The wreck today Salvaged in April 1987, sold for scrap, renamed Flushing Range and broken up in Taiwan from March 1988.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Philippines, Sulpicio Lines
MV Doña Paz Collision
Also known as Himeyuri Maru (1963 to 1975), Don Sulpicio (1975 to 1981)
20 December 1987 · Tablas Strait near Dumali Point, Marinduque, Philippines
The ship Passenger ferry, Philippines, Sulpicio Lines
Built Launched 25 April 1963, Onomichi Dockyard Co, Hiroshima, Japan, yard 118
Size 93.1 m; 2,324 GRT
Aboard Manifest 1,493 passengers and 59 crew (revised 1,583 and 58); estimates add 2,000 to 4,000 or more unlisted
Lives lost Up to 4,385; only 25 survivors (23 passengers and 2 tanker crew)
At 22:40 the overcrowded ferry collided with the oil tanker MT Vector, whose cargo ignited and engulfed both ships. There were no life jackets available, and the whole crew of Doña Paz died.
Why she is remembered Recognised as the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history. A memorial stands at Pieta Park in Catbalogan; in 1999 the Supreme Court held Vector's owners liable.
The wreck today Located in April 2019 by RV Petrel, upright at about 500 m in Tablas Strait and in good condition.
Sources differ Deaths: about 1,500 (first estimate); 3,134 (national bureau, February 1988); 4,342 passengers or 4,374 to 4,385 with crew (presidential task force, 1999).
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Egypt
MV Salem Express Reef and rocks
Also known as Fred Scamaroni
Night of 14 to 15 December 1991 · Hyndman Reef (Shaab Shehr), off Safaga, Egypt, Red Sea; GPS 26° 38.38′ N, 34° 03.67′ E
The ship Roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry, Egypt
Built Forges et Ateliers et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne, France; completed April 1966 after a fire in June 1964 (one source says 1965)
Size 114.99 m long, 18 m beam; 4,471 GRT (some sources 4,770 GRT)
Aboard Officially 578 passengers and 71 crew; estimates up to 1,600, many pilgrims returning from Mecca
Lives lost Officially 464 to 470 including the captain; unofficial estimates about 1,200
Built for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique's Marseille to Ajaccio service, she ran between Safaga and Jeddah from 1988. Approaching Safaga late at night, Captain Hassan Moro's ship struck an outer pinnacle of Hyndman Reef and sank within about 20 minutes. About 180 people reached shore.
Why she is remembered One of the worst ferry disasters in the Red Sea. The wreck is dived but is regarded as a cemetery, and many believe it should be left alone.
The wreck today Lies on her side in about 30 m, the highest part of the hull about 10 m below the surface, with propellers, rudder, a lifeboat, vehicles and passengers' belongings still visible. A dive site to be treated as a grave.
Sources differ Date 14 December 1991 at 23:31 (Divernet) versus 15 December just before midnight (redsea-diving). Lies on port side (Divernet) versus starboard side (redsea-diving). Built 1965 versus completed 1966. Deaths 464 (Lloyd's), 470 (official), about 850, about 1,200 or more than 1,600 (unofficial estimates).
Sources divernet.com · redsea-diving.com · Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Estonia
MS Estonia Other causes
Also known as Viking Sally (1980 to 1990), Silja Star (1990 to 1991), Wasa King (1991 to 1993)
28 September 1994 · Baltic Sea, between Estonia, Finland and Sweden, on the Tallinn to Stockholm route
The ship Car and passenger ferry, Estonia
Built Launched 26 April 1980, Meyer Werft, Papenburg, West Germany, yard 590
Size 155.43 m; 15,598 GT
Aboard 989
Lives lost 852; 137 rescued
On the crossing from Tallinn to Stockholm the locks of the bow visor failed and water flooded the car deck, so that she capsized quickly. Free surface effect, power failure and a delayed emergency response added to the losses.
Why she is remembered Europe's deadliest peacetime ferry sinking. The Joint Accident Investigation Commission reported in 1997; a 2023 investigation noted further construction flaws in the visor, and the 2023 Finnish series Estonia dramatised the event.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Blahaaaaaaaa69420, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Tanzania
MV Bukoba Other causes
21 May 1996 · Lake Victoria, about 30 nautical miles off Mwanza, Tanzania, in 25 m of water
The ship Lake Victoria ferry, Tanzania
Built About 1979
Size 850 tonnes capacity; licensed for 430 passengers
Aboard Unknown: 443 on the first and second class manifest, third class unrecorded
Lives lost 894 (official); up to 1,000 estimated
The overloaded ferry capsized on Lake Victoria. Third class passengers were never manifested, and she lacked life jackets, lifeboats and proper inspection.
Why she is remembered Described as the deadliest maritime disaster in the Southern Hemisphere; national mourning was declared and nine Tanzania Railway Corporation officials were charged.
Sources differ Deaths 894 (official) or up to 1,000.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Greece (previously France)
MS Express Samina Reef and rocks
Also known as Corse (1966 to 1982), Golden Vergina (1982 to 1999)
26 September 2000 · Portes Islets, Bay of Parikia, off Paros, Aegean Sea, Greece
The ship Ro-pax ferry, Greece (previously France)
Built 1966, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, yard F23
Size 115.00 m; 4,455 GRT
Aboard 533
Lives lost 81, plus two indirect deaths
On autopilot with no proper bridge watch and a failed port stabiliser, the ferry drifted onto the Portes rocks. Nine of eleven watertight doors were open against regulations, the engine room flooded and power failed, and only three of eight lifeboats could be launched.
Why she is remembered Led to voyage data recorders on passenger ferries and stricter inspections of ageing Greek ferries; the captain and first officer were convicted.
Sources differ The stated breakdown (473 plus 61) sums to 534, not 533. The total is given as 533, but the breakdown given (473 passengers, 61 crew) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Peter J. Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Senegal (government owned)
MV Le Joola Storm
26 September 2002 · Atlantic off the coast of The Gambia
The ship Roll-on/roll-off ferry, Senegal (government owned)
Built Launched 22 March 1990, completed 12 November 1990, Schiffswerft Germersheim, Germany
Size 79.5 m; 2,087 GT
Aboard Approximately 1,863 to 2,000 (designed for 536 passengers)
Lives lost At least 1,863; estimates over 2,000; 64 survived
Sailing beyond her licensed coastal waters, with one engine out of action and nearly four times her design load, the ferry capsized in rough seas. Rescue was delayed for hours.
Why she is remembered One of the worst maritime disasters in history; a memorial museum opened in Ziguinchor in January 2024 and families continue to seek justice.
The wreck today Lies capsized at about 20 m and is believed to hold many unrecovered bodies.
Sources differ Deaths at least 1,863, with estimates over 2,000.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Liberia; owned by Gap Adventures
MS Explorer Ice
Also known as Lindblad Explorer (1969 to 1985), Society Explorer (1985 to 1992)
23 November 2007 · Bransfield Strait near the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica; 62°24′S 57°16′W
The ship Expedition cruise ship (polar), Liberia; owned by Gap Adventures
Built 1969, Uudenkaupungin Telakka, Uusikaupunki, Finland
Size 239 ft (73 m); 2,398 tons
Aboard 154 (91 passengers, 9 guides, 54 crew)
Lives lost None
Her captain entered an ice field believing it to be first year ice, but it was much harder land ice, and she struck an iceberg and sank. All aboard were evacuated by lifeboat within hours and rescued.
Why she is remembered Commissioned by Lars-Eric Lindblad, she pioneered Antarctic expedition tourism and made the first cruise ship transit of the Northwest Passage in 1984; she appears on South Georgia and Falkland Islands stamps.
The wreck today Lies at about 1,130 m in Bransfield Strait. A scale model is displayed at Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Greece (registered Piraeus)
MS Sea Diamond Reef and rocks
Also known as Birka Princess (1986 to 2006)
5 to 6 April 2007 · Near Nea Kameni, inside the caldera of Santorini, Aegean Sea, Greece
The ship Cruise ferry, later cruise ship, Greece (registered Piraeus)
Built 1985, Valmet, Vuosaari shipyard, Helsinki
Size 142.95 m; 22,412 GT after 2006 refit
Aboard 1,153 passengers plus crew
Lives lost 2 French passengers missing, presumed dead
She ran onto a volcanic reef inside the caldera on 5 April; most people were evacuated, and she capsized and sank stern first the next day.
Why she is remembered Fined for marine pollution, with the captain later sentenced to 12 years; the wreck remains an environmental concern in the caldera.
The wreck today Bow tip about 62 m deep and stern in up to 180 m; removal was announced in October 2017 for environmental and navigational reasons.
Sources differ Charts showed the reef at 57 m from shore against an actual 131 m.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Philippines (registered Cebu City), Sulpicio Lines
MV Princess of the Stars Storm
Also known as Ferry Lilac
21 June 2008 · Off San Fernando, Romblon, Philippines
The ship Ro-pax ferry, Philippines (registered Cebu City), Sulpicio Lines
Built 1984, IHI Corporation, Aioi, Hyogo, Japan, yard 2904
Size 193 m; 23,824 GT
Aboard 870 (reports of 747 to 866 manifested)
Lives lost 814 dead and missing; 56 known survivors
She left Manila on 20 June despite typhoon warnings; Typhoon Fengshen (Frank) changed course and overwhelmed her, and she capsized at about 1 pm on 21 June.
Why she is remembered One of the Philippines' deadliest maritime disasters; 10,000 kg of endosulfan pesticide was found illegally aboard, and in 2024 the Court of Appeals found the operator guilty of gross negligence.
The wreck today Salvaged and scrapped in 2011.
Sources differ Manifest figures vary from 747 to 866.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Honduras (previously Greece)
MV Spice Islander I Other causes
Also known as Marianna (1967 to 1988), Apostolos P (1988 to 2007)
10 September 2011 · Between Zanzibar and Pemba Island, Tanzania
The ship Ro-ro ferry, Honduras (previously Greece)
Built 1967, Greece
Size 60.00 m; 836 GRT
Aboard Over 800 passengers plus 45 crew (licensed for 654 passengers)
Lives lost 1,573 (revised January 2012); first estimate 2,976; 620 rescued, only 240 bodies recovered
The severely overloaded ferry sank between Zanzibar and Pemba, carrying far more than her licensed number of passengers. Most victims were never recovered.
Why she is remembered Most of the dead were never recovered: only 240 bodies were found.
Sources differ Deaths first estimated at 2,976, revised to 1,573.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Italy (registered Genoa), Costa Cruises
Costa Concordia Reef and rocks
13 January 2012 · Off the east shore of Isola del Giglio, Tuscany, Tyrrhenian Sea
The ship Concordia-class cruise ship, Italy (registered Genoa), Costa Cruises
Built Launched 2 September 2005, Fincantieri, Sestri Ponente
Size 290.20 m; 114,147 GT
Aboard 4,252 (3,229 passengers and 1,023 crew)
Lives lost 32
Sailing close to Giglio, she struck a rock that tore a 53 m gash in her port side; flooding cut power, and the partly submerged wreck lay in danger of slipping into a 70 m deep trough. The evacuation took over six hours.
Why she is remembered Captain Francesco Schettino was convicted of manslaughter, causing a maritime accident and abandoning ship, and sentenced to sixteen years in 2015. She was righted by parbuckling on 17 September 2013.
The wreck today Refloated in 2014, towed to Genoa and dismantled, completed 7 July 2017.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Robert Lender from Vienna, Austria, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · South Korea (previously Japan)
MV Sewol Other causes
Also known as Ferry Naminoue (1994 to 2012)
16 April 2014 · About 1.5 km off Donggeochado, Jindo County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea
The ship Ro-pax ferry, South Korea (previously Japan)
Built Launched 13 April 1994, Hayashikane Shipbuilding and Engineering Co, Nagasaki, Japan, yard 1006
Size 145.61 m; 6,835 GT
Aboard 476 (443 passengers including 325 Danwon High School students, and 33 crew)
Lives lost 304 dead and missing, 250 of them students
Carrying twice her legal cargo limit after modifications that had reduced her stability, the ferry capsized on a routine overnight crossing. Investigations found falsified safety documents and a negligent coast guard response.
Why she is remembered A national trauma in South Korea, marked by yellow ribbons; it exposed regulatory failure and corporate malpractice and led to criminal sentences.
The wreck today Raised on 23 March 2017 and moved ashore at Mokpo on 12 April 2017, where she remained as of April 2024.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Tanzania
MV Nyerere Other causes
20 September 2018 · Lake Victoria, about 50 m from the dock at Ukara Island, Ukerewe District, Tanzania
The ship Lake ferry, Tanzania
Built Maiden journey 2004
Size Stated capacity 100 passengers
Aboard Estimates from about 270 (final government count) to more than 400
Lives lost 228 (final official count); 41 rescued
The ferry capsized as she approached the dock. Explanations included a sharp turn by an untrained helmsman, a rush of passengers shifting the load, and overloading; passenger records were lost.
Why she is remembered Over 400 children were orphaned, and a memorial tower was planned for Ukara Island.
The wreck today Righted on 28 September 2018 and retrieved for assessment.
Sources differ Death toll first 131, then 224, finally 228.
Sources Wikipedia
Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships · Indonesia
MV Sinar Bangun Storm
18 June 2018 · Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on the Simanindo to Tiga Ras route
The ship Lake ferry, Indonesia
Size 35 tons; rated for 43 passengers
Aboard 188 (final official count)
Lives lost 164 missing presumed dead and 3 bodies recovered; 21 survivors
Carrying more than four times her rated load, she capsized to starboard in rough water and heavy rain soon after departure. There were only 45 life jackets and vehicles blocked the exits.
Why she is remembered President Joko Widodo ordered a nationwide review of ferry safety; one family lost 18 members.
The wreck today Located at about 450 m depth in Lake Toba.
Sources differ Early estimates of those aboard ranged from 80 to 200.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · France
Mont-Blanc Explosion
6 December 1917 · Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada
The ship Cargo steamship, France
Built Sir Raylton Dixon & Co, Middlesbrough, 1899
Size 3,279 GRT
Lives lost one crewman (gunner Yves Quequiner); about 2,000 known dead and some 9,000 injured in Halifax
Loaded with about 2,300 tons of picric acid, 500 tons of TNT and 10 tons of guncotton, she collided with SS Imo. Spilled benzol caught fire, the blaze became uncontrollable, and she drifted to Pier 6 and exploded at 9:04 a.m., destroying over 1,600 houses and damaging 12,000.
Why she is remembered The Halifax Explosion was regarded as the largest man-made explosion until Hiroshima. Courts first blamed Mont-Blanc's master and pilot; appeals later found both ships equally at fault.
The wreck today Obliterated; fragments fell over 4 km. Her anchor shank (3.2 km south) and a gun (5.6 km north) are now monuments; pieces are at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (RNLI)
Mary Stanford (Rye Harbour lifeboat) Storm
15 November 1928 · Off Rye Harbour, East Sussex, England (English Channel), returning from a call off Dungeness
The ship RNLI pulling and sailing lifeboat (no engine, no radio), United Kingdom (RNLI)
Built Entered service at Rye Harbour in 1916
Aboard 17 volunteer crew
Lives lost All 17 crew
In a full gale the Rye Harbour lifeboat was launched to the Latvian steamer Alice of Riga, in difficulty off Dungeness. A recall signal was sent, but nobody in the lifeboat saw it. Returning in very rough seas, the Mary Stanford capsized within sight of watchers ashore and all 17 men were lost, among them coxswain Herbert Head and his sons James and John.
Why she is remembered Historic England calls it the biggest loss of life from a single lifeboat in the history of the RNLI; it took almost every working man of a small village. The crew lie together in a shared grave at Rye Harbour church, where an annual memorial service is still held a week after Remembrance Sunday.
The wreck today Her 1882 boathouse, closed by the RNLI after 1928, survives as the Old Lifeboat Station (Mary Stanford Boathouse), listed Grade II on 27 October 2008. The crew memorial at Rye Harbour church remains.
Sources differ Missing bodies: one source says 16 were recovered and John Stanley Head was never found; another says two (Harry Cutting and John Head) were missing at first.
Sources ryesown.co.uk · ryenews.org.uk · sussexexpress.co.uk · Historic England
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Richard Montgomery Other causes
grounded 20 August 1944; broke in two 25 August 1944 · Thames Estuary off Sheerness, Kent, England, about 1.5 miles from Sheerness, 51°28′N 00°47′E, average depth 15 m
The ship Liberty ship (EC2-S-C1), United States
Built St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida, launched 15 June 1943
Size 441 ft 6 in; 10,865 LT DWT
Loaded with munitions, she dragged her anchor and ran aground on a sandbank. Her hull cracked during salvage operations and she broke in two amidships, leaving much of the cargo aboard.
Why she is remembered About 1,400 tonnes of explosives remain in her holds, a long-running public safety concern and the subject of fiction and debate over a Thames estuary airport.
The wreck today Her masts still show above water. She was the first wreck designated as dangerous under section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, inside a monitored exclusion zone; mast removal was planned for September 2026 with the masts going to Chatham Historic Dockyard.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Christine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Mumbles station)
Edward, Prince of Wales Storm
23 April 1947 · Sker Point, off Porthcawl, South Wales
The ship RNLI lifeboat (ON 678), United Kingdom (Mumbles station)
Aboard 8 volunteer crew
Lives lost all 8
Launched to the stranded steamer Samtampa in a gale, the lifeboat was overwhelmed by a huge breaking sea. She was found capsized on the rocks next morning with the bodies of all eight lifeboatmen.
Why she is remembered The Mumbles lifeboat disaster; the crew lie in Oystermouth Cemetery and a memorial window (1977) is in All Saints' Church.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · France
Grandcamp Explosion
Also known as Benjamin R. Curtis
16 April 1947, 9:12 a.m. · Port of Texas City, Texas, United States
The ship Liberty ship, France
Built launched at Los Angeles, 1942
Size 437 ft
Aboard French crew under Captain Charles de Guillebon
Lives lost at least 581 killed in the disaster (567 also given); over 5,000 injured
A fire broke out in a hold loaded with about 2,300 short tons of ammonium nitrate fertiliser and the cargo detonated, destroying the port. Burning debris ignited SS High Flyer, also carrying ammonium nitrate, which exploded early the next morning; SS Wilson B. Keene was also destroyed.
Why she is remembered It produced the first class-action lawsuit against the US government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (Dalehite v. United States, 1953).
The wreck today Destroyed. A 2-ton anchor from Grandcamp, thrown 1.62 miles, stands in a memorial park in Texas City.
Sources differ Death toll given as at least 581 and as 567.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea
Samtampa Storm
23 April 1947 · Sker Point, Glamorgan coast, South Wales
The ship Steamship (cargo)
Lives lost 39 crew
On passage from Middlesbrough to Newport, her three anchor cables failed in a gale and she drove onto the rocks and broke into three. Her 39 crew died, as did the eight crew of the Mumbles lifeboat sent to help.
Why she is remembered Remembered together with the Mumbles lifeboat disaster.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Flying Enterprise Storm
Also known as Cape Kumukaki (1944)
10 January 1952 · Western Approaches to the English Channel, about 31 nautical miles south of The Lizard and 41 nautical miles from Falmouth, Cornwall; 84 m deep
The ship Type C1-B cargo ship, United States
Built Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California, 1944
Size 396 ft 5 in; 6,711 GRT
Aboard 48 crew and 10 passengers
Lives lost one passenger (Nicolai Bunjakowski)
Storm damage on Christmas night 1951 cracked her hull and shifted her cargo, leaving her with a heavy list. All others were taken off but Captain Kurt Carlsen stayed aboard alone, joined on 4 January by Kenneth Dancy, mate of the tug Turmoil. Carlsen finally abandoned ship at 15:22 on 10 January, shortly before she sank.
Why she is remembered A worldwide media story for two weeks. Carlsen received Lloyd's Silver Medal and a New York ticker-tape parade; rumours persisted of secret cargo such as zirconium for USS Nautilus.
The wreck today Found in June 2001 by diver Leigh Bishop at 84 m. Italian firm Sorima salvaged cargo in 1960 under a confidentiality clause.
Sources differ Speculation about undeclared cargo has never been confirmed.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Carl D. Bradley Storm
18 November 1958 · Lake Michigan, about 5 miles north-west of Boulder Reef, just south of Gull Island, 45°33′33″N 85°59′16″W, 110 to 113 m deep
The ship Self-unloading Great Lakes freighter, United States
Built American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio, launched 9 April 1927
Size 639 ft (194.8 m); 10,028 GRT
Aboard 35 crew
Lives lost 33; 2 survivors (First Mate Elmer Fleming and Deck Watchman Frank Mays)
In a severe Lake Michigan storm the crew heard a loud thud followed by vibration and saw the stern sagging. The first mate sent a mayday before power failed and the ship broke apart and sank.
Why she is remembered Memorials were dedicated in Rogers City, Michigan. Coast Guard recommendations followed, including canopied inflatable life rafts; the documentary November Requiem (2008) won two Emmy Awards.
The wreck today Located in spring 1959 by the US Army Corps of Engineers; a 1997 ROV expedition confirmed she lies in two pieces. Her bell was recovered by divers in August 2007 and replaced with a memorial bell.
Sources differ Survivors said she broke in two; a 1959 U.S. Steel survey claimed the wreck was intact. Cause (brittle steel, hogging stresses) is disputed.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Marine Sulphur Queen Missing
Also known as Esso New Haven
4 February 1963 (last message) · Straits of Florida, about 200 miles west of the Florida Keys
The ship T2 tanker converted to carry molten sulphur, United States
Built Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, 1944
Size 504 ft; 10,642 GRT
Aboard 39 crew
Lives lost all 39 presumed lost
She sailed from Beaumont, Texas, with molten sulphur and sent a routine position on 4 February, then vanished. A 19-day search found only life preservers and debris.
Why she is remembered The Coast Guard found she was unsafe, unseaworthy and never should have sailed; families won damages. She is often, wrongly, cited as a Bermuda Triangle loss.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ The Coast Guard gave four possible causes: hull girder failure, tank explosion, capsizing or a steam explosion.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Daniel J. Morrell Storm
29 November 1966 · Lake Huron, north of Pointe aux Barques, Michigan, in 220 ft (67 m) of water
The ship Great Lakes bulk freighter, United States
Built West Bay City Shipbuilding Company, West Bay City, Michigan, launched 22 August 1906
Size 603 ft (184 m); 7,239 GRT as built
Aboard 29
Lives lost 28; sole survivor Dennis Hale
In a storm with winds over 70 mph and waves of 20 to 25 ft, the 60-year-old hull broke in half at 02:15. The bow sank at once while the stern steamed on for about 90 minutes before sinking. Most crew died of hypothermia; Dennis Hale survived nearly 38 hours on a raft.
Why she is remembered Her loss, blamed on low-temperature embrittlement of hull steel, showed that hypothermia was the leading killer of sailors and that davit lifeboats were of little use in heavy seas.
The wreck today Lies in two sections about 5 miles apart in 220 ft of water.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Torrey Canyon Reef and rocks
18 March 1967 (stranded) · Pollard's Rock, western end of the Seven Stones reef, between the Cornish mainland and the Isles of Scilly, England
The ship Supertanker (crude oil tanker), Liberia
Built laid down in the United States, 1959; later enlarged in Japan
Size 974.4 ft (297.0 m); capacity enlarged from 60,000 to 120,000 tons
Lives lost one member of the Dutch salvage team (Captain Hans Barend Stal); about 15,000 seabirds killed
The tanker struck the Seven Stones after confusion between the master and the officer of the watch over their position, together with a steering mode problem. Refloating attempts failed and she broke up, spilling 25 to 36 million gallons (94 to 164 million litres) of crude oil. The Royal Navy and RAF bombed the wreck to burn off the oil.
Why she is remembered It led to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (1969) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973); Serge Gainsbourg wrote a song about her.
The wreck today Largely broken up and scattered over a wide area on the Seven Stones.
Sources differ Spill given as a range of 25 to 36 million gallons; as many as 25% of the 42 bombs dropped are said to have missed.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Hull)
Kingston Peridot Storm
26 to 27 January 1968 · off north-east Iceland
The ship Trawler, United Kingdom (Hull)
Aboard 20
Lives lost all 20
The second Hull trawler lost that winter; she probably capsized through instability in extreme weather.
Why she is remembered Part of the Hull triple trawler tragedy that drove the Headscarf Campaign and the Holland-Martin inquiry into fishing safety.
Sources differ Combined death toll given as 58, and later as 60.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Hull)
Ross Cleveland Ice
4 February 1968 · off Grænahlíð, north-west coast of Iceland
The ship Trawler, United Kingdom (Hull)
Aboard 19 (one man had been put ashore)
Lives lost 18; sole survivor the mate, Harry Eddom
She became top-heavy with ice and capsized. The mate, Harry Eddom, was the only survivor.
Why she is remembered The third Hull loss in a month, completing the triple trawler tragedy. Eddom's survival was cited in the 1986 Safety at Sea Bill debates on lifejackets and survival clothing.
Sources differ Combined death toll given as 58, and later as 60.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Hull)
St Romanus Missing
11 January 1968 · North Atlantic, exact position unknown
The ship Trawler, United Kingdom (Hull)
Aboard 20
Lives lost all 20
The first of three Hull trawlers lost within a month in the winter of 1968; she disappeared for unknown reasons.
Why she is remembered Part of the Hull triple trawler tragedy, which sparked the Headscarf Campaign of fishermen's wives led by Lillian Bilocca and the Holland-Martin Committee of Inquiry (1969), leading to reforms in trawler design, safety equipment and radio standards.
Sources differ Combined death toll for the three trawlers given as 58, and later as 60.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Hull)
Gaul Storm
Also known as Ranger Castor
8 to 9 February 1974 · Barents Sea, about 70 nautical miles off northern Norway, 280 m deep
The ship Stern trawler and factory ship, United Kingdom (Hull)
Built Brooke Marine, Lowestoft, 1971
Size 66 m (216.9 ft); 1,106 tons
Aboard 36
Lives lost all 36
In heavy following seas water entered through open waste chutes and doors on the factory deck. About 100 tonnes of floodwater surged to starboard during a manoeuvre, and she capsized and sank stern first.
Why she is remembered Rumours that she was a spy ship seized by the Soviets persisted for decades until the 2004 Reopened Formal Investigation dismissed them.
The wreck today Found in 1997 by a television crew working with Norwegian experts; surveyed in 1998 and 2002, when DNA confirmed crew remains. Protected.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Berge Istra Explosion
30 December 1975 (last contact) · Pacific Ocean near Mindanao, Philippines
The ship Ore-bulk-oil (OBO) carrier, Liberia
Built Uljanik shipyard, Pula, Yugoslavia, 1972
Size 227,550 DWT
Lives lost 30; 2 survivors
A series of explosions sank her within seconds while two crewmen were painting the bow. They survived about 20 days on a raft before rescue on 18 January 1976.
Why she is remembered Her sister Berge Vanga was lost in similar circumstances in 1979; her own loss was linked to unreliable inert gas systems and oil vapour in uncleaned tanks.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Edmund Fitzgerald Storm
10 November 1975 · Lake Superior, Canadian waters about 17 miles from Whitefish Bay, 46°59′54″N 85°06′36″W, about 530 ft deep
The ship Great Lakes freighter (laker), United States
Built Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, launched 7 June 1958
Size 729 ft; 13,632 GRT; 25,500 DWT
Aboard 29 crew
Lives lost all 29; no bodies recovered
Carrying 26,116 long tons of taconite ore from Superior, Wisconsin, to Detroit, she ran into a storm with winds over 50 knots and waves over 35 ft. She reported damage and water coming in; Captain Ernest McSorley's last message at 7:10 p.m. was “We are holding our own”, and she vanished without a distress call.
Why she is remembered Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 song made her famous. Her loss led to survival suits, depth finders, LORAN-C, EPIRBs on Great Lakes ships, annual pre-November hatch inspections and the reversal of earlier freeboard (load line) relaxations.
The wreck today Found 14 November 1975 by a US Navy P-3 Orion; lies in two pieces at about 530 ft. Protected under the Ontario Heritage Act with a 500 m zone. Her bell was raised on 4 July 1995 and is held by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society; a replica bearing the crew's names was left on the wreck.
Sources differ Cause disputed: the US Coast Guard (1977) blamed ineffective hatch closures; the NTSB (1978) blamed hatch cover collapse under boarding seas; others propose shoaling or structural failure.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Argo Merchant Reef and rocks
Also known as Arcturus, Permina Samudra III, Vari
grounded 15 December 1976; broke apart 21 December 1976 · Middle Rip Shoal, about 29 nautical miles south-east of Nantucket, Massachusetts
The ship Oil tanker, Liberia
Built Howaldtswerke, Hamburg, Germany, 1953
Aboard 38 crew
With a faulty gyrocompass, poor charts and unqualified helmsmen, she ran aground on the Nantucket Shoals. The crew were taken off and she broke apart, releasing all 7.7 million US gallons of No. 6 fuel oil.
Why she is remembered Her entire cargo of 7.7 million US gallons of fuel oil was lost off Nantucket.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Panama
Lucona Explosion
Also known as Steinberg, Niolon (wikispooks also lists Atlantic Progress)
23 January 1977 · Indian Ocean, about 200 miles north of the Maldives
The ship Cargo ship (freighter), Panama
Built 1966, Büsumer Schiffswerft, Büsum, Germany
Aboard 12 crew
Lives lost 6 crew
Chartered by the Viennese businessman Udo Proksch, she sailed from Chioggia, Italy, through the Suez Canal with a cargo declared as a uranium ore processing plant and insured for about 18 to 20 million dollars. In fact she carried scrap and old coal mining equipment. A time bomb in the forward hold sank her; six survivors were picked up after about 10 hours by the Turkish tanker Sapem I.
Why she is remembered The Lucona affair became one of Austria's greatest post-war scandals: Proksch was convicted in 1992 of six murders and insurance fraud and sentenced to life, dying in custody in 2001, and senior politicians including Leopold Gratz and Karl Blecha resigned. The insurance was never paid.
The wreck today Found in early 1991 by the supply ship Valiant Service using deep ROVs at about 4,200 to 4,500 m; the debris field showed the forward hold had been cut through by an explosion and no uranium equipment was present.
Sources differ Wreck found 24 January 1991 (sealegacy) versus 5 February 1991 (wikispooks). Depth about 14,800 ft (sealegacy) versus 4,192 m (wikispooks). Insured value given as 18 million dollars, nearly 20 million dollars, or 212 million schillings.
Sources sealegacy.com · theviennareview.at · wikispooks.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Amoco Cadiz Reef and rocks
16 March 1978 · Portsall Rocks, Brittany, France, 48°36′N 4°42′W
The ship VLCC supertanker, Liberia
Built Astilleros Españoles, Cádiz, Spain, completed May 1975
Size 334.02 m; 109,700 GRT; 233,690 DWT
Aboard 44 crew
In a south-westerly gale her rudder jammed; a towline parted and she drifted onto the rocks at Portsall. She split in three and sank, releasing her full cargo of about 1.6 million barrels of crude oil plus about 4,000 tons of fuel oil, the largest oil spill of its kind to that date. The wreck was finally destroyed with depth charges dropped from helicopters on 29 March 1978.
Why she is remembered One of the worst oil spills in history. US courts ordered USD 85.2 million in damages in 1988, and the 1992 appeal set a precedent for prejudgment interest in maritime environmental cases.
The wreck today Lies in shallow water off Portsall (stern about 12 m, bow about 6 to 7 m down) and is frequently visited by leisure divers.
Sources differ Cargo given as 219,797 tons; NOAA estimated the total spill at 220,880 tonnes.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: NOAA, edited by Mfield, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · West Germany
München Storm
12 December 1978 · North Atlantic, between about 44°N 24°W and 46.25°N 27.5°W
The ship LASH barge carrier, West Germany
Built Cockerill-Sambre, Hoboken, Belgium, launched 12 May 1972
Size 261.4 m; 37,134 GRT; 44,600 DWT
Aboard 28 crew
Lives lost all 28
In a severe storm one or more rogue waves damaged her, leaving her with a 50 degree list and no power. She drifted for about 33 hours before sinking; a search with 13 aircraft and nearly 80 ships found no survivors.
Why she is remembered A key case in the study of rogue waves, featured in BBC Horizon (2002) and Killer Waves (2003).
The wreck today Never found; her starboard lifeboat was recovered on 16 February 1979.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia (Greek owned)
Atlantic Empress Collision
collision 19 July 1979; sank 3 August 1979 · Caribbean Sea, about 18 nautical miles east of Tobago, 13°05′N 55°28′W
The ship Very large crude carrier, Liberia (Greek owned)
Built Odense Staalskibsværft, Odense, Denmark, launched 16 February 1974
Lives lost 26 crew of Atlantic Empress and 1 of Aegean Captain
In rain and fog she collided with another Greek supertanker, Aegean Captain. Both ships caught fire; Atlantic Empress was towed away, exploded on 24 and 25 July and sank on 3 August.
Why she is remembered With about 287,000 tonnes of crude lost, the largest ship-source oil spill on record.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · owned by Kerala Shipping Corporation, India
Kairali Missing
3 July 1979 (last message 8 p.m.) · Arabian Sea, about 500 km off Margao, India
The ship Bulk carrier, owned by Kerala Shipping Corporation, India
Built Marinens Hovedverft, Horten, Norway, 1966
Size 19,000 tonnes capacity
Aboard 49 crew
Lives lost all 49
Sailing from Margao to Rostock via Djibouti with 20,538 tonnes of iron ore, she vanished during the monsoon after her last message.
Why she is remembered An unsolved disappearance; in 2014 the Kerala State Information Commission ordered a government report on her loss.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ Theories include cargo liquefaction, overloading, weather and piracy.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom (Liverpool)
Derbyshire Storm
Also known as Liverpool Bridge (1976 to 1978)
9 September 1980 · Pacific Ocean about 230 miles from Okinawa, south of Japan, at a depth of about 4 km
The ship Bridge-class ore-bulk-oil combination carrier, United Kingdom (Liverpool)
Built Swan Hunter, launched 5 December 1975, completed June 1976
Size 294.2 m; 91,655 GRT; 169,044 DWT
Aboard 42 crew and 2 wives
Lives lost all 44
Hove-to in Typhoon Orchid, she was swamped when seas sheared off small ventilation pipes near the bow, letting water into the forward spaces; huge waves then broke the hatch covers, whose design strength was far exceeded.
Why she is remembered A rogue wave in the typhoon is thought to have exceeded hatch design loads more than tenfold. The formal investigation absolved the crew and changed standards for hatch cover strength in bulk carriers.
The wreck today Found in June 1994 at about 4 km depth, spread over 1.3 km; a bronze memorial plaque was placed on site.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom
Solomon Browne Storm
19 December 1981 · Mount's Bay, Cornwall, England, near Lamorna (50.0523 N 5.5774 W)
The ship RNLI 47 ft Watson-class lifeboat, United Kingdom
Built 1960
Size 47 ft (14 m); 9 knots
Aboard 8 volunteer crew
Lives lost all 8
The Penlee lifeboat launched in extreme weather to the disabled coaster Union Star. After taking off four people, radio contact was lost mid-transmission and both vessels were lost with everyone aboard.
Why she is remembered Coxswain Trevelyan Richards received the RNLI Gold Medal and his crew posthumous bronze medals; a public appeal raised over £3 million. Mousehole dims its Christmas lights each year on the anniversary, and the boathouse was Grade II listed in 2023.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Ireland (registered Dublin)
Union Star Storm
19 December 1981 · Boscawen Cove near Lamorna, Mount's Bay, Cornwall, west of Tater Du Lighthouse
The ship Mini-bulk carrier (coaster), Ireland (registered Dublin)
Aboard 8 (5 crew and 3 family members)
Lives lost all 8
Her engines failed when seawater contaminated the fuel, and she drifted towards a lee shore in a storm. Four people were taken off by the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne before both were lost; Union Star capsized onto the rocks.
Why she is remembered Remembered together with the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne, lost trying to save her crew, and commemorated in songs.
The wreck today Capsized onto the rocks west of Tater Du Lighthouse.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Spain
Castillo de Bellver Fire
6 August 1983 (stern sank 7 August) · off Saldanha Bay, about 70 miles north-west of Cape Town, South Africa
The ship Oil tanker, Spain
Built 1978
Size 250,000 tonnes capacity
Aboard 33
Lives lost 3 crew
Carrying light crude from the Persian Gulf to Spain, she caught fire and broke apart. The stern capsized and sank offshore; the bow was towed away from the coast and sunk with explosives.
Why she is remembered Her spill was estimated at 145,000 to 170,000 tonnes, though winds carried most of it out to sea and damage ashore was limited (about 1,500 gannets oiled).
Sources differ Spill given as 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes initially and 145,000 to 170,000 tonnes in total.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
Marine Electric Storm
Also known as Musgrove Mills (1944 to 1947), Gulfmills (1947 to 1961)
12 February 1983 · Atlantic about 30 miles off Chincoteague Island, Virginia, in 130 ft of water
The ship T2 tanker converted to bulk carrier, United States
Built Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, 1944
Size 605 ft; 13,757 GRT; 25,575 DWT after 1962 lengthening
Aboard 34
Lives lost 31; 3 survived about 90 minutes in the freezing sea
Sailing in unseaworthy condition with holes in her deck plating and hatch covers, she was caught when a winter storm with 25 ft waves flooded her holds and she capsized. Most crew died of hypothermia.
Why she is remembered Led to mandatory survival suits on winter North Atlantic runs, the US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer programme, stricter inspections and the retirement of many old WWII-built ships. Survivor Bob Cusick credited a Stan Rogers song with keeping him alive.
The wreck today Lies on the seabed in about 130 ft; examined by Coast Guard and independent investigators.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: U.S. Coast Guard photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea
Exxon Valdez Reef and rocks
Also known as later renamed Exxon Mediterranean (1990), S/R Mediterranean (1993), Mediterranean (2005), Dong Fang Ocean (2008), Oriental Nicety (2011)
24 March 1989, 12:04 a.m. (grounded, not sunk) · Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska, about 6 mi west of Tatitlek, 60°50′24″N 146°51′45″W
The ship Oil supertanker
Size cargo capacity 53.1 million US gallons (1,260,000 barrels)
Aboard crew including Captain Joseph Hazelwood; Third Mate Gregory Cousins was on the bridge
Lives lost no deaths stated in the grounding
The loaded tanker ran onto Bligh Reef shortly after midnight. Eight of her 11 cargo tanks ruptured and 5.8 million gallons drained out within about three hours. In total about 37,000 tonnes of crude oil was lost into Prince William Sound.
Why she is remembered Included as a grounding: the spill led Congress to pass the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which phased in double hulls for tankers in US waters and banned ships that had spilled over 1 million gallons from Prince William Sound.
The wreck today Not a wreck: repaired in San Diego (1990), traded under new names, and beached and dismantled at Alang, India, in August 2012.
Sources differ Spill given as more than 10 million US gallons and as about 10.8 million US gallons (37,000 tonnes).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States (Gloucester, Massachusetts)
Andrea Gail Missing
28 October 1991 (last contact) · North Atlantic, last reported near 44°00′N 56°40′W, about 162 miles east of Sable Island
The ship Fishing vessel, United States (Gloucester, Massachusetts)
Built Eastern Shipbuilding, Panama City, Florida, 1978
Size 72 ft (22 m); 92 tons
Aboard 6 crew
Lives lost all 6
Returning from the Flemish Cap under Captain Billy Tyne, she was caught by the 1991 “Perfect Storm” with 30 ft seas and gusts to 80 knots. Her last transmission was at 6 p.m. on 28 October; a search covered over 186,000 square nautical miles.
Why she is remembered Inspired Sebastian Junger's 1997 book The Perfect Storm and the 2000 film.
The wreck today Never found. Only her EPIRB washed up on Sable Island on 6 November 1991.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Cyprus
Haven Explosion
Also known as Amoco Milford Haven
11 April 1991 (sank after three days burning) · Ligurian Sea off Arenzano near Genoa, Italy, 44°13′N 8°28′E, 33 to 83 m deep
The ship VLCC, Cyprus
Built Astilleros Españoles, Cádiz, Spain, launched 20 January 1973
Size 334.02 m; 109,700 GRT; 233,690 DWT
Aboard 44 crew
Lives lost 6 crew
An explosion during an internal oil transfer set her on fire at anchor. After burning for three days she broke in two; the bow sank at 450 m and the main hull about 2 km off the coast between Arenzano and Cogoleto.
Why she is remembered The Mediterranean's worst oil pollution, fouling over 100 km of Italian and French coast.
The wreck today A popular scuba diving site, described as the largest shipwreck in the region.
Sources differ Spill given as 30,000 to 50,000 tonnes; early reports 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Braer Storm
Also known as Hellespont Pride, Brae Trader
5 January 1993 (grounded); broke up 11 January 1993 · Garths Ness, Quendale Bay, Shetland, Scotland
The ship Oil tanker, Liberia
Built Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Nagasaki, Japan, 1975
Size 241.51 m; 89,730 DWT
Aboard 34 crew
On passage from Bergen to Quebec, seawater got into her fuel through damaged air vents after a deck pipe broke loose, and her engine stopped. She drifted ashore at Garths Ness in a storm and spilled 85,000 tonnes of Gullfaks crude.
Why she is remembered A major oil spill on the Shetland coast caused by loss of engine power in a storm.
The wreck today Smashed flat in less than 10 m of water and barely recognisable.
Sources differ Initial coastguard position was 5 nautical miles out.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea
Sea Empress Reef and rocks
15 February 1996 (grounded, not sunk) · mid-channel rocks at St Ann's Head, entrance to the Milford Haven Waterway, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The ship Oil tanker
Entering Milford Haven against the ebb, she was set off course by the current and grounded. During salvage she broke free of her tugs and grounded repeatedly, releasing about 72,000 tons of crude oil and 480 tons of heavy fuel oil over a week.
Why she is remembered Included as a grounding: the Milford Haven Port Authority was fined £4 million under the Water Resources Act 1991; the total cost was put at about £116 million.
The wreck today Not a wreck: repaired, renamed several times (Welwind 2009, Wind 3 2012) and scrapped at Chittagong in June 2012.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Malta
Erika Storm
Also known as Shinsei Maru, Glory Ocean, Intermar Prosperity, South Energy, Jahre Energy, Prime Nobel, Nobel
12 December 1999 · Bay of Biscay, off the coast of Brittany, France
The ship Oil tanker, Malta
Built Kasado Dock Company, Japan, 1975
Size 184 m; 37,283 DWT
Carrying about 31,000 tons of heavy fuel oil from Dunkirk to Livorno, the 24-year-old tanker met a severe storm in the Bay of Biscay. She broke in two and sank, and her oil fouled the Breton coast.
Why she is remembered Triggered new EU maritime transport legislation on ageing ships (the Erika packages). In 2008 Total and others were ordered to pay €192 million; Total's appeal failed in 2010.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Philippines
New Carissa Storm
4 February 1999 (grounded) · beach about 2.7 miles north of the entrance to Coos Bay, Oregon, United States
The ship Wood-chip carrier (dry bulk), Philippines
Built Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan, 1989
Size 194.89 m; 36,571 GT
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost no crew lost; over 3,000 seabirds killed
Anchored off Coos Bay on a single anchor with too short a chain, she dragged ashore in 20 to 25 knot winds. Napalm and explosives were used to burn off her fuel, and the bow section was towed out and sunk by USS David R. Ray and USS Bremerton.
Why she is remembered Oregon won a USD 22.1 million settlement; no criminal charges were brought against the crew.
The wreck today Bow sunk offshore by the US Navy; stern dismantled on the beach, completed by November 2008.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Ecuador
Jessica Reef and rocks
16 January 2001 (grounded) · Wreck Bay, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos
The ship Oil tanker, Ecuador
The tanker grounded off the Galápagos capital; fuel began leaking on 20 January and containment failed. About 175,000 US gallons of diesel and fuel oil spread to San Cristóbal, Santa Fe and Santa Cruz.
Why she is remembered One of the worst environmental disasters in the history of the Galápagos.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Charlie Henry, NOAA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Bahamas
Prestige Storm
Also known as Gladys (1976 to 1988)
19 November 2002 (hull breached 13 November 2002) · Atlantic Ocean about 130 miles off Galicia, Spain, 42°53′N 9°53′W, depth about 4,000 m
The ship Aframax single-hull oil tanker, Bahamas
Built Hitachi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Japan, completed 30 March 1976
Size 243 m; 42,820 GT; 81,589 DWT
Aboard 27 crew
Lives lost no crew deaths reported
In a winter storm a 15 m hole opened on her starboard side. France, Spain and Portugal refused her a port of refuge and she was ordered back out to sea, where she broke in two and sank. More than 80% of her 77,000 tonnes of fuel oil was eventually lost, polluting the coasts of Galicia and beyond.
Why she is remembered The EU phased out single-hull tankers by 2012 and the Nunca Máis (Never Again) movement was born. In 2016 Spain's Supreme Court jailed the master for two years and ordered the London P&I Club to pay; in 2023 the English High Court declined to enforce that ruling.
The wreck today Lies at about 4,000 m. In 2004 ROVs drilled into the tanks and recovered about 13,000 m³ of oil with aluminium shuttles, at a cost of over €100 million.
Sources differ Spill estimates rose from 17,000 tonnes to about 63,000 tonnes; the ship's page cites 50,000 metric tons. Distance off the coast given as 210 to 250 km.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Bahamas Maritime Authority, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Norway
Tricolor Collision
Also known as Nosac Sun
14 December 2002 · English Channel, about 17 nautical miles north of the French coast near Dunkirk, 51.3667 N 2.2019 E, 30 m deep
The ship Pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), Norway
Built Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Japan, 1987
Size 190 m; 49,792 GT
Lives lost none
On passage from Zeebrugge to Southampton with nearly 3,000 new cars, she was struck by the container ship Kariba and sank. In the following weeks the Dutch ship Nicola and the Turkish tanker Vicky both hit the wreck.
Why she is remembered The repeated collisions led IALA to create a new Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy.
The wreck today Cut into nine sections of about 3,000 tonnes each and removed; completed 27 October 2004.
Sources differ Cargo given as nearly 3,000 cars and as 2,871 cars.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · France (Loctudy, Finistère)
Bugaled Breizh Other causes
15 January 2004, 12:25 UTC · about 14 nautical miles south-west of Lizard Point, Cornwall, 49°57′07″N 5°12′50″W, 90 m deep
The ship Trawler, France (Loctudy, Finistère)
Built Bretagne Sud shipyard, Belz, 1986
Size 24 m; 103 tons
Aboard 5
Lives lost all 5
The trawler capsized and sank very quickly while several NATO submarines were exercising nearby. Three bodies were recovered.
Why she is remembered A long-running mystery in Brittany. French judges in 2008 called an accident with a nuclear submarine highly probable, though none was identified; a UK inquest opened in 2021.
The wreck today Raised in June 2004, examined and stored.
Sources differ BEAmer (2006) concluded her nets snagged a sandbank; French judges (2008) favoured a submarine snagging her gear.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Malaysia
Selendang Ayu Reef and rocks
8 December 2004 · off Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
The ship Panamax bulk carrier, Malaysia
Built Hudong, Shanghai, 1998
Size 225 m (738 ft); 39,775 GT
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost 6 crew, killed when a rescue helicopter was engulfed in spray and crashed
A cracked cylinder liner disabled her engine on 6 December and she drifted for two days in heavy seas. She ran aground at 17:05 on 8 December and broke in two at 19:15.
Why she is remembered A major Aleutian fuel spill of about 350,000 US gallons of fuel reported lost.
Sources differ Spill reported as about 350,000 US gallons and estimated at up to 338,000 gallons.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United Kingdom
MSC Napoli Storm
Also known as CGM Normandie, Nedlloyd Normandie, CMA CGM Normandie
18 January 2007 (hull breached); deliberately beached 20 January 2007 · Branscombe, Devon, England, about 1 mile offshore, within the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site
The ship Container ship, United Kingdom
Built Samsung Heavy Industries, Geoje, South Korea, launched 24 August 1991
Size 275.66 m; 53,409 GT; 62,277 DWT
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost none
In European windstorm Kyrill her hull failed at the junction of the engine room and cargo section. She was deliberately beached at Branscombe, where washed-up containers drew about 200 scavengers who carried off BMW motorcycles, casks and other goods.
Why she is remembered Remembered for the beach scavenging, which police handled under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, and for the MAIB investigation (2008) into container ship hull strength.
The wreck today Refloated July 2007, split by explosives, bow recycled at Harland and Wolff; stern removal completed July 2009.
Sources differ Number aboard given as 31 in one place and 26 evacuated in another.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Liberia
Rena Reef and rocks
Also known as ZIM America (1990 to 2007), Andaman Sea (2007 to 2010)
5 October 2011 (grounded); broke in two 8 January 2012 · Astrolabe Reef, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
The ship Container ship (3,351 TEU), Liberia
Built Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel, Germany, 1990
Size 236 m; 38,788 GT; 47,231 DWT
Aboard 20 crew
Through navigation errors she ran onto Astrolabe Reef at 2:20 a.m. carrying 1,368 containers, 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 200 tonnes of diesel. She later broke in two in heavy weather and the stern section slipped off the reef.
Why she is remembered A major oil and container spill on a New Zealand reef, followed by one of the longest wreck monitoring programmes, running to 2040.
The wreck today About 77% of containers recovered by 2014; consent was granted in February 2016 to leave the remaining wreck on the reef, with monitoring to 2040. Divers report kelp forest recovery.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: New Zealand Defence Force, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Bahamas
MOL Comfort Other causes
Also known as APL Russia
broke in two 17 June 2013; stern sank 27 June, bow sank 11 July 2013 · Arabian Sea, about 200 nautical miles off Yemen
The ship Post-Panamax container ship, Bahamas
Built Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, Japan, 2008
Size 316 m; 86,692 GT; 90,613 DWT
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost none
The ship cracked amidships and broke in two. Both halves drifted; the stern sank first and the bow caught fire under tow and sank, taking 4,293 containers with her.
Why she is remembered The largest single loss of containers on record as of 2017. Her sister ships were withdrawn and strengthened and the case prompted reviews of hull girder strength in large container ships.
The wreck today Stern at about 4,000 m and bow at about 3,000 m depth.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States
El Faro Storm
Also known as Puerto Rico (1975 to 1991), Northern Lights (1991 to 2006)
1 October 2015 · Atlantic Ocean, 23°22′52″N 73°54′40″W, about 4,700 m (15,400 ft) deep
The ship Ro-ro and lo-lo cargo ship, United States
Built Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., 1975
Size 241 m; 31,515 GT
Aboard 33 crew (28 American, 5 Polish)
Lives lost all 33
Sailing from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico, she steamed into the eyewall of Hurricane Joaquin. She lost propulsion, flooded through a hull opening and sank about an hour later as the crew mustered.
Why she is remembered The NTSB blamed the captain's weather decisions and the operator's safety management; Congress passed the Hamm Alert Maritime Safety Act (2019) on weather information and emergency equipment.
The wreck today Located 31 October 2015 by USNS Apache; the voyage data recorder was recovered on 10 August 2016.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Panama
Sanchi Collision
collision 6 January 2018; sank 14 January 2018 · East China Sea, about 160 nautical miles east of Shanghai, 28°22′N 125°55′E, 115 m deep
The ship Suezmax double-hull tanker, Panama
Built Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, Yeongam, South Korea, 2008
Size 274.18 m; 85,462 GT; 164,154 DWT
Aboard 32 crew (30 Iranian, 2 Bangladeshi)
Lives lost all 32
Loaded with 136,000 tonnes of natural-gas condensate, she collided with the bulk carrier CF Crystal and caught fire at once. She burned and drifted for over a week before sinking.
Why she is remembered Compared in scale with Exxon Valdez; the slick spread over more than 100 km².
The wreck today Located and mapped at 115 m.
Sources differ Some Iranian families dispute the death declarations and have sued in the US.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea
Golden Ray Other causes
8 September 2019, 01:37 · St. Simons Sound, near the Port of Brunswick, Georgia, United States
The ship Ro-ro vehicle carrier
Built Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Ulsan, South Korea, launched 26 August 2016
Size 200 m; 71,118 GT; 20,995 DWT
Aboard 23 crew and 1 pilot
Lives lost none; four men trapped in the engine room at 68 °C were rescued through a drilled hole the next day
Leaving the Port of Brunswick, she capsized during a sharp turn. The NTSB found wrong ballast entries in the stability calculation and an open pilot door let water in.
Why she is remembered Her removal was described as the largest wreck removal operation in US history.
The wreck today Cut into sections where she lay between November 2020 and 25 October 2021.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · United States (Dutch Harbor, Alaska)
Scandies Rose Ice
31 December 2019 · about 2.5 miles from Sutwik Island, Gulf of Alaska
The ship Crab fishing vessel, United States (Dutch Harbor, Alaska)
Built Bender Shipbuilding, Mobile, Alabama, 1978
Size 116.6 ft (35.5 m)
Aboard 7 crew
Lives lost 5; 2 rescued by the US Coast Guard
Bound for the cod season, she built up ice on her starboard side and took a 20 degree list. When the captain turned for shelter, katabatic winds on her other side rolled her over and she sank within minutes.
Why she is remembered The NTSB blamed asymmetrical icing combined with katabatic winds, after she iced up off the Alaska Peninsula.
The wreck today Lies on the seabed on her starboard side.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Singapore
X-Press Pearl Fire
fire from 20 May 2021; sank 2 June 2021 · about 9.5 nautical miles north-west of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 21 m of water
The ship Container ship (Super Eco 2700 class), Singapore
Built Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard, China, completed 10 February 2021
Size 186 m; 31,629 GT; 36,149 DWT; 2,756 TEU
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost none; two crew injured in an explosion on 25 May
A container of nitric acid had been leaking since 11 May; ports in Qatar and India declined to take it off. Fire broke out off Colombo, she burned for about two weeks and sank.
Why she is remembered UN reports call it the largest recorded plastic spill: about 70 to 75 billion nurdles washed onto Sri Lankan beaches. In July 2025 Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered X-Press Feeders to pay USD 1 billion, which the company rejected citing liability limits.
The wreck today Mostly submerged in 21 m off Colombo; wreck removal began November 2021 and monitoring continues.
Sources Wikipedia
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Panama
Felicity Ace Fire
1 March 2022 (fire began 16 February 2022) · North Atlantic, about 220 nautical miles off the Azores, about 25 miles outside the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone
The ship Pure car carrier (ro-ro vehicle carrier), Panama
Built Shin Kurushima Onishi Shipyard, Imabari, Japan (shipspotting); 2004 (shipspotting) or 2005 (gCaptain); IMO 9293911
Size 200 m long, 32 m beam; 60,118 gross tons
Aboard 22 crew
Lives lost None; all 22 crew were taken off safely
Owned by Snowscape Car Carriers, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, she was carrying nearly 4,000 vehicles from Germany to the United States East Coast when fire broke out on 16 February 2022 about 90 nautical miles southwest of the Azores. The crew abandoned ship and the fire burned for days. While under tow on 1 March she developed a starboard list in worsening weather and sank.
Why she is remembered Her cargo, worth an estimated 400 million dollars, included about 1,100 Porsches, 189 Bentleys, Lamborghinis and Volkswagen and Audi models, among them electric ID.4s. The loss drew wide attention to the fire risk of lithium ion batteries on car carriers, although the cause of the fire was never established.
The wreck today Lies at a depth of about 3,000 m in the Atlantic off the Azores.
Sources differ Build year 2004 (shipspotting) versus 2005 (gCaptain).
Sources gcaptain.com · maritime-executive.com · shipspotting.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Spain (registered at Vigo)
Villa de Pitanxo Storm
15 February 2022, 04:23 UTC · North Atlantic, Flemish Pass, about 250 miles east of St John's, Newfoundland; 46°50'26“N 46°39'18”W
The ship Deep-sea freezer stern trawler, Spain (registered at Vigo)
Built 2003, Astilleros M. Cíes, Vigo
Size 50.30 m length overall, 9.70 m beam, 825 GT
Aboard 24 crew
Lives lost 21 (9 bodies recovered, 12 missing); 3 survivors
Owned by Pesquerías Nores Marín of Marín, Galicia, she was trawling for halibut when her gear snagged on the seabed. While the crew worked the winches in 40 knot winds and 7 metre waves, the main engine stalled and she could not be manoeuvred. She heeled to port, water entered through the waste hopper and deck drainage, and she sank within minutes.
Why she is remembered One of Spain's worst modern fishing disasters. The Spanish accident investigation commission (CIAIM) published a full report, and the skipper, one of the three survivors, has faced court proceedings in Spain.
The wreck today Located in 2023 by an underwater robot in the Flemish Pass basin at about 1,000 to 1,100 m; the missing crew could not be recovered.
Sources transportes.gob.es · undercurrentnews.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea · Belize
Rubymar War
Also known as Ken Shin, Chatham Island, Ikaria Island
hit 18 February 2024; sank 2 March 2024 · Red Sea, near the Bab-el-Mandeb
The ship Handymax bulk carrier, Belize
Built Onomichi dockyard, Japan, 1997
Size 171 m; 19,420 GT
Aboard 24 crew
Lives lost none; all 24 evacuated
Carrying fertiliser from the UAE to Bulgaria, she was struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile. She drifted for two weeks while salvage was blocked, then sank in bad weather.
Why she is remembered The first ship lost in the Houthi Red Sea campaign. Her dragging anchor is thought to have cut Red Sea internet cables, and her oil slick and cargo threatened fisheries.
The wreck today A navigation hazard in the Red Sea; salvage was still pending as of July 2024.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Great Britain (alleged)
Lady Lovibond Legend
allegedly 13 February 1748 · allegedly the Goodwin Sands, off Kent, England
The ship Alleged schooner, Great Britain (alleged)
Lives lost allegedly all aboard
According to the tale, Captain Simon Reed took his bride aboard and a jealous mate, John Rivers, struck the helmsman and steered the ship onto the Goodwin Sands. Her ghost is said to reappear every fifty years, with claimed sightings in 1798, 1848 and 1948.
Why she is remembered A well known English ghost ship tale. It is a legend: researchers George Behe and Michael Goss found no reliable primary source mentioning the ship before a 1924 Daily Chronicle article and suggest it may be a journalist's invention.
The wreck today No evidence the ship existed.
Sources differ The captain's name is given as Simon Reed or Simon Peel.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea
Octavius Legend
allegedly found 11 October 1775, last log entry allegedly 11 November 1762 · allegedly west of Greenland
The ship Alleged three-masted schooner
Aboard allegedly 28 crew plus a woman and a boy
Lives lost allegedly all
According to the story, a boarding party from the whaler Herald found the ship drifting with her crew dead and frozen, the captain at his log, which ended 13 years earlier after an attempt on the Northwest Passage.
Why she is remembered A famous ghost ship tale, but it is a legend: no authentic evidence of the ship exists, similar stories appeared earlier in newspapers, and historians cannot trace its origin or vouch for it.
The wreck today No evidence the ship existed.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Great Britain
HMS Erebus Ice
Abandoned 22 April 1848 · Wilmot and Crampton Bay, off King William Island, Nunavut, Canada
The ship Hecla class bomb vessel, Great Britain
Built Pembroke Dock, launched 7 June 1826
Size 105 ft long, 372 tons burthen, two mortars and 10 guns
Aboard About 130 men in Franklin's expedition
Lives lost All
After the Ross Antarctic expedition, Erebus was Sir John Franklin's flagship in the 1845 search for the Northwest Passage. Trapped in ice off King William Island, she and Terror were abandoned in April 1848 and every man died of cold, scurvy and starvation.
Why she is remembered Mount Erebus in Antarctica is named after her; the lost Franklin expedition became an enduring mystery, dramatised in the TV series The Terror (2018). SHIPS OF DISCOVERY overlap.
The wreck today Found on 2 September 2014 by Parks Canada; National Historic Site of Canada since 2019 and jointly owned with the Inuit since 2017. Deteriorating in shallow water.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Great Britain
HMS Terror Ice
Abandoned 22 April 1848 · Terror Bay, King William Island, Nunavut, Canada, 21 to 24 m deep
The ship Vesuvius class bomb vessel, Great Britain
Built Robert Davy yard, Topsham, Devon, launched 29 June 1813
Size 102 ft long, 325 tons burthen, two mortars and 10 guns
Aboard Part of Franklin's 1845 expedition
Lives lost All
Terror shelled Fort McHenry in 1814, survived ice on Back's 1836 expedition and sailed on Ross's Antarctic expedition. With Erebus she was beset in ice and abandoned in 1848, and the whole Franklin expedition perished.
Why she is remembered Her bombardment of Fort McHenry inspired The Star Spangled Banner; Mount Terror is named after her; the TV series The Terror. SHIPS OF DISCOVERY overlap.
The wreck today Found on 3 September 2016 by the Arctic Research Foundation in Terror Bay, about 92 km from where she was abandoned, in excellent condition; National Historic Site of Canada, access restricted.
Sources differ The wreck lies about 92 km (57 mi) south of the reported abandonment site, which challenges the historical account of her fate.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: After George Back, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
Breadalbane Ice
21 August 1853 · half a mile south of Beechey Island, Barrow Strait, Lancaster Sound, Nunavut, 74°41′N 91°50′W
The ship Three-masted merchant barque (Royal Navy supply ship in Franklin search), United Kingdom
Built Hedderwich and Rowan, River Clyde, Scotland, 1843
Size 428 tons; 38.1 m (125 ft) long, 7.3 m (24 ft) beam, 5.5 m (18 ft) depth of hold
Aboard 21
Lives lost none; the crew were rescued by HMS Phoenix
Called into Royal Navy service in 1853 to carry supplies for the search for Franklin, Breadalbane was moored to an ice floe when a slab of ice pierced her starboard bow. She sank within fifteen minutes; all 21 crew escaped to her companion HMS Phoenix.
Why she is remembered Considered one of the northernmost known shipwrecks and a time capsule of the Franklin search; designated a Canadian national historic site in 1983.
The wreck today Found in August 1980 by Joseph B. MacInnis's team using side-scan sonar, about 100 m (330 ft) deep, intact with two masts standing. Her wheel was recovered in 1983 and passed to Parks Canada.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Edward Augustus Inglefield, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Investigator Ice
abandoned 3 June 1853 · Mercy Bay, Banks Island, Northwest Territories, about 150 m off the north shore
The ship Survey vessel (Arctic search ship), United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Scotts, Greenock; acquired February 1848
Size 422 to 480 tons burthen
Lives lost none documented in source
Sent to search for Franklin, Investigator under Commander Robert McClure became trapped in the pack ice at Mercy Bay and remained frozen in for about three years before being formally abandoned on 3 June 1853. McClure gave the official account of the voyage and surgeon Alexander Armstrong published an unofficial one in 1857.
Why she is remembered A ship of the Franklin search and the Northwest Passage story; Inuit harvested metal from the abandoned ship for tools for decades.
The wreck today Found in July 2010 by Parks Canada about 150 m offshore at about 8 m depth, upright in silt with her masts removed by ice. No plans for recovery; documented by ROV.
Sources differ Tonnage given as 422 to 480 tons burthen; one cited source dates the abandonment to 1854 rather than 3 June 1853.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Samuel Gurney Cresswell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (Inman Line)
SS City of Glasgow Missing
sailed from Liverpool 1 March 1854; never arrived · North Atlantic, on passage Liverpool to Philadelphia
The ship Single-screw iron-hulled passenger steamship, United Kingdom (Inman Line)
Built Tod and Macgregor, Partick, Glasgow, launched 28 February 1850
Size 227.5 ft long, 32.7 ft beam, 24.7 ft depth; 1,610 tons burthen
Aboard 480 (111 cabin passengers, 293 steerage, 76 crew)
Lives lost all 480 presumed lost
She left Liverpool for Philadelphia, due on 25 March 1854, and nothing more was heard; by May she was accepted as lost. Ships that month reported more ice than for many years, and an iceberg collision is the likely explanation.
Why she is remembered One of the largest losses of life in the early steam era, with no survivor or confirmed wreckage.
The wreck today Never found; reports of bow sections ashore near Campbeltown in October 1854 are unconfirmed.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Germany (North German Confederation expedition)
Hansa Ice
22 October 1869 · about 70°32′N 21°W, roughly 10 km off the coast of East Greenland
The ship Schooner reinforced for ice (expedition escort ship), Germany (North German Confederation expedition)
Aboard 13
Lives lost none; all 13 survived
Escort ship of the Second German North Polar Expedition under Paul Hegemann, Hansa became separated from Germania and was trapped and slowly ground up by the pack ice until she sank. The crew built a hut of coal briquettes on the floe and drifted south through the winter, reaching a Moravian mission in 1870 and returning to Germany on 3 September 1870.
Why she is remembered A celebrated ice floe survival story of nineteenth century polar exploration.
Sources differ The separation from Germania on 19 July is attributed to Hegemann misreading a flag signal.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States (originally Canadian)
Mary Celeste Other causes
Also known as Amazon (1861 to 1868)
found derelict 4 December 1872; deliberately wrecked 3 January 1885 · found at 38°20′N 17°15′W between the Azores and Portugal; wrecked on the Rochelois Bank reef near Haiti
The ship Brigantine, United States (originally Canadian)
Built Joshua Dewis, Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia, 1861
Size 99.3 ft; 198.42 gross tons as built, 282.28 gross tons after 1872 rebuild
Aboard 10 (Captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife Sarah, daughter Sophia and seven crew)
Lives lost all 10 missing
The Canadian brigantine Dei Gratia found her abandoned, with her lifeboat gone and cargo and belongings untouched; the last log entry was 25 November. Her people were never found. In 1885 Captain Parker ran her onto a Haitian reef in an insurance fraud.
Why she is remembered The most famous ghost ship mystery, popularised by Arthur Conan Doyle's story “J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement” (1884), which called her Marie Celeste.
The wreck today Clive Cussler's 2001 expedition claimed to have found her off Haiti, but tree-ring dating disputed the find.
Sources differ Theories include alcohol vapour, a waterspout or a false sounding; none is proven. The 2001 wreck identification is disputed: the first wood samples matched 1872 materials, but tree-ring dating points to wood from about 1894.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unconfirmed, possibly Honore Pellegrin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States
USS Polaris Ice
Also known as Periwinkle (tugboat)
October 1872 (deliberately grounded) · near Etah, Greenland
The ship Screw steamer converted to fore-topsail schooner (Arctic expedition ship), United States
Built converted at the Washington Navy Yard
Size 387 tons
Aboard about 25 officers, crew and scientists, plus Inuit companions and their families
Lives lost expedition leader Charles Francis Hall died aboard on 8 November 1871 (poisoning suspected); no deaths recorded among those on the ice floe or the ship's party in the loss itself
Hall's North Pole expedition ship was damaged and trapped in the ice. On 15 October 1872, during an attempted evacuation, 19 people including George Tyson were separated on an ice floe and drifted over 1,800 miles until rescue on 30 April 1873. The rest grounded the damaged ship near Etah and wintered there.
Why she is remembered The suspected poisoning of Hall and the six-month ice floe drift make the Polaris expedition one of the strangest stories of Arctic exploration.
The wreck today Beached and left heeled over half out of the water; salvaged for materials. No surviving wreck site recorded in the source.
Sources differ Accounts conflict on whether Budington's decision to ground the ship was justified, given differing reports of the propeller, rudder and fuel.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Austria-Hungary
Admiral Tegetthoff Ice
abandoned 20 May 1874 · beset off south-east Franz Josef Land, Arctic Ocean
The ship Three-masted barquentine with steam engine (Arctic expedition ship), Austria-Hungary
Built Tecklenborg and Beurmann, Bremerhaven, built for the expedition
Size 38.34 m long; 220 tons; 100 hp steam engine
Aboard 24
The Austro-Hungarian North Pole expedition left Tromso on 13 July 1872 and in late August was locked in pack ice north of Novaya Zemlya. Drifting into unknown waters, the expedition discovered an archipelago on 30 August 1873 and named it Franz Josef Land. Still held fast by the ice, the ship was abandoned in May 1874.
Why she is remembered Her drift led to the discovery of Franz Josef Land; she featured on a 2005 Austrian commemorative coin.
The wreck today Fate after abandonment not documented in source.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Atalanta Missing
Also known as HMS Juno (1844); briefly HMS Mariner (January 1878)
sailed from Bermuda 31 January 1880; never arrived · North Atlantic, between the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda and Falmouth
The ship Spartan-class 26-gun sixth-rate frigate (training ship), United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Pembroke Dock, 1844
Size 131 ft overall, 107 ft keel
Aboard about 300, mostly inexperienced trainees
Lives lost 281 (per the memorial in St Ann's Church, Portsmouth)
Serving as a training ship, Atalanta left Bermuda for Falmouth and disappeared. She was presumed to have foundered in a powerful storm that crossed her route a couple of weeks after she sailed; she was said to be crank and had few trained seamen.
Why she is remembered Her loss has been cited as a Bermuda Triangle case since the 1960s, a claim debunked by research in 1997.
The wreck today Never confirmed; wreckage was reported near the Azores and a German brig sighted a possible wreck in September 1880.
Sources differ About 300 were aboard; the memorial in St Ann's Church, Portsmouth, lists 281 lost.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: William Edward Atkins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
Eira Ice
21 August 1881 · off Cape Flora, Franz Josef Land, Arctic Ocean
The ship Screw barquentine (ice-strengthened private expedition ship), United Kingdom
Built Stephen and Forbes, Peterhead
Size 39 m; 240 tons
Aboard 24
Lives lost none
Benjamin Leigh Smith's expedition ship was crushed by ice off Cape Flora. The crew saved supplies, wintered in a makeshift hut for ten months, set off in four boats on 21 June 1882 and were rescued by the ship Hope on 3 August 1882.
Why she is remembered Leigh Smith, sometimes called England's forgotten Arctic explorer, is the subject of P. J. Capelotti's book Shipwreck at Cape Flora (2013).
The wreck today Not definitively located; timbers sighted in 2015 and pottery and metalware found by a Russian team in 2017; an AUV search led by Milko Vuille was planned for August 2021.
Sources wreckwatchmag.com · tandfonline.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States
USS Jeannette Ice
Also known as HMS Pandora
13 June 1881 · Arctic Ocean, 77°15′N 155°0′E, about 300 nautical miles north of the Siberian coast
The ship Philomel-class gunvessel converted for Arctic exploration, United States
Built Pembroke Dockyard, 1860
Size 142 to 146 ft long, 24 to 25 ft beam; 570 tons displacement; 428 tons burthen
Aboard 33
Lives lost 20 (8 drowned when a boat capsized; 12, including Commander George W. De Long, died in the Lena Delta)
The Jeannette expedition sought the North Pole via the Bering Strait but the ship was trapped in the ice for 21 months and finally crushed and sunk. The crew hauled boats and supplies across the ice towards Siberia; one boat was lost in a storm and De Long's party died of cold and starvation in the Lena Delta.
Why she is remembered Wreckage found in Greenland in 1884 proved a transpolar ice drift and inspired Fridtjof Nansen's Fram expedition; told in Edward Ellsberg's Hell on Ice (1938).
The wreck today Not located as of December 2019, despite Russian attempts in 2015.
Sources differ Sources give length as 142 or 146 ft and beam as 24 or 25 ft.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea
Resolven Missing
found abandoned 29 August 1884; wrecked 1887 · found between Baccalieu Island and Catalina, Newfoundland
The ship Merchant brig
Aboard 11 (7 crew, 4 passengers)
Lives lost all 11 never seen again
HMS Mallard found the brig abandoned but intact, her galley fire still burning and lamps lit, about six hours after the last log entry, with a large iceberg nearby. It is thought the crew panicked when ice damaged the ship and their boat capsized, but no bodies were found. Refitted, she was wrecked in 1887 carrying lumber from Nova Scotia.
Why she is remembered A documented case of a ship found intact with her crew and passengers gone, listed among real ghost ships.
The wreck today Wrecked in 1887; no wreck site recorded in source.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (registered Glasgow)
Marlborough Missing
last seen 13 January 1890 · Southern Ocean, on passage from Lyttelton, New Zealand to London via Cape Horn
The ship Iron full-rigged ship (emigrant and refrigerated cargo ship), United Kingdom (registered Glasgow)
Built Robert Duncan and Co, Port Glasgow, launched June 1876
Size 228 ft long, 35 ft beam, 21 ft 7 in draught; 1,191 gross, 1,124 net tons
Aboard 30 (29 crew and one female passenger)
Lives lost all 30 presumed lost
After 14 voyages carrying emigrants, wool and, from 1882, frozen meat between London and New Zealand, she left Lyttelton on 11 January 1890 and was spoken by the Falkland Hill two days later. Nothing more was heard; collision with Antarctic ice is the likely explanation.
Why she is remembered A 1913 newspaper story claimed she was found near Cape Horn with skeletons aboard. That story is a legend: it is considered fictional and contradicted by many facts, including that the ship had no bridge.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ Some accounts say she was registered in London; she was registered in Glasgow.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (White Star Line)
SS Naronic Missing
sailed 11 February 1893; never arrived · North Atlantic, on passage Liverpool to New York
The ship Cargo liner (livestock carrier), United Kingdom (White Star Line)
Built Harland and Wolff, Belfast, launched 26 May 1892, completed 11 July 1892
Size 470 ft (143.3 m) long, 53 ft (16.2 m) beam; 6,594 GRT
Aboard 74 (60 crew, 14 passengers)
Lives lost all 74
The largest steam cargo ship of her day at launch, Naronic left Liverpool, called briefly in North Wales and headed into heavy seas. Two empty lifeboats were later found about 500 miles east of Halifax. The inquiry said the cause remained a matter of speculation.
Why she is remembered A White Star Line mystery that predates the Titanic. Four bottle messages claiming she hit an iceberg were rejected by the inquiry as not genuine.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ Theories include storm, iceberg and chemical cargo explosion; the route was said to pass over 100 miles south of the ice.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Sweden
Antarctic Ice
Also known as Cap Nor
12 February 1903 · about 40 km (25 mi) off Paulet Island, Antarctica
The ship Three-masted barque with auxiliary steam engine (sealer, expedition ship), Sweden
Built Holmen, Drammen, Norway, 1871
Size 41.5 m (136 ft) long; 346 gross, 226 net tons; 45 hp auxiliary steam engine
Aboard Crew of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Captain Carl Anton Larsen; those rescued included Carl Skottsberg, Johan Gunnar Andersson, Jose Maria Sobral and Frank Wilbert Stokes
Lives lost none recorded in source; all crew were eventually rescued by the Argentine corvette Uruguay
Ship of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Captain Carl Anton Larsen, Antarctic was trapped in pack ice on 3 January 1903. She broke free on 3 February but was damaged and leaking, and sank before Larsen could beach her on Paulet Island. All the crew were eventually rescued by the Argentine corvette Uruguay.
Why she is remembered Part of one of the great Antarctic survival stories; geographical features in Greenland, Antarctica, Jan Mayen and South Georgia are named after her.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Otto Kjellström, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Sweden; later British (Ferguson of Dundee)
Vega Other causes
1903 · Melville Bay, west of Greenland
The ship Barque with steam engine (whaler, expedition ship), Sweden; later British (Ferguson of Dundee)
Built Bremerhaven, Germany, 1872
Size 150 ft (45.72 m) long; 357 DWT
Rebuilt for Adolf Erik Nordenskiold's expedition, Vega left Karlskrona on 22 June 1878 and became the first ship to sail through the Northeast Passage and the first to circumnavigate Eurasia. Returned to whaling, she was reported sunk in Melville Bay in 1903.
Why she is remembered Her voyage ranks among the highest achievements of Swedish science; Cape Vega and Vegafonna are named after her.
The wreck today Not confirmed; a search was led by Ola Skinnarmo in 2013.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (Blue Anchor Line)
Waratah Missing
Last sighted 27 July 1909 · Off the South African coast near the Mbashe River, between Durban and Cape Town
The ship Passenger and cargo steamship, United Kingdom (Blue Anchor Line)
Built Barclay, Curle and Co, Glasgow; launched 12 September 1908
Size 9,339 GRT; 465 ft
Aboard 211 passengers and crew
Lives lost All 211
On her second voyage she left Durban for Cape Town and vanished in a storm of exceptional violence. The Board of Trade inquiry could not establish a cause, though doubts about her stability had followed her short career.
Why she is remembered Often called 'Australia's Titanic', one of the great unsolved maritime mysteries; it inspired Geoffrey Jenkins's novel Scend of the Sea and Clive Cussler's Ghost Ship.
The wreck today Never found. Emlyn Brown searched from 1983 to 2004; a 1999 sonar target proved in 2001 to be SS Nailsea Meadow.
Sources differ Passengers reported listing and heavy rolling, while builders and owners disputed her instability; the inquiry reached no firm cause.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom; later Danish owners
Fox Other causes
1912 · coast of Greenland
The ship Auxiliary steam yacht (Franklin search ship), United Kingdom; later Danish owners
Built Alexander Hall and Sons, Aberdeen, 1854
Size 132 ft long, 24 ft 4 in beam; 320 tons burthen
Lady Franklin's private search ship under Francis Leopold McClintock. On 6 May 1859 Lieutenant Hobson found, in cairns on King William Island, the only written messages from the missing Franklin expedition ever found. Fox later surveyed for telegraph cables and ended her days with Danish owners, wrecked on the Greenland coast in 1912.
Why she is remembered The ship whose expedition solved part of the Franklin mystery.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States (official no. 110087)
Rouse Simmons Storm
23 November 1912 · Lake Michigan, 6 miles off Point Beach, Wisconsin
The ship Three-masted schooner (Great Lakes), United States (official no. 110087)
Built Allen, McClelland and Co, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1868
Size 123.5 ft long, 27.6 ft beam; 205 GRT
Aboard 17
Lives lost all 17
Known as the Christmas Tree Ship, she was carrying 5,500 evergreens from Michigan to Chicago when a storm struck. Two seamen were swept overboard checking the deck lashings, and ice, the heavy cargo and winds over 60 mph overwhelmed her.
Why she is remembered The Christmas Tree Ship is commemorated in songs and stage works, and Great Lakes tree shipping by schooner ended by 1920.
The wreck today Found in 1971 by Milwaukee diver Gordon Kent Bellrichard at 172 ft; listed on the US National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Canada
Karluk Ice
holed 10 January 1914, sank 11 January 1914 · Arctic pack ice of the Chukchi Sea region, after drifting west from the Herschel Island area; survivors reached Wrangel Island
The ship Brigantine with auxiliary steam engine (former whaler, expedition ship), Canada
Built Matthew Turner's shipyard, Benicia, California, 1884
Size 129 ft (39 m) long, 23 ft (7.0 m) beam; 321 GRT, 247 NRT; 150 hp auxiliary compound steam engine
Aboard 25 (crew, expedition staff and Inuit hunters)
Lives lost 11 (four on Herald Island, four who set out independently, three on Wrangel Island)
Flagship of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, Karluk was trapped in the pack ice on 13 August 1913 and drifted west for months before being holed on 10 January 1914; she sank the next day. The survivors reached Wrangel Island and were rescued in September 1914.
Why she is remembered A harrowing Arctic survival story told in Bartlett's The Last Voyage of the Karluk (1916) and Jennifer Niven's The Ice Master (2001).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (originally Norway)
SS Southern Cross Storm
Also known as Pollux (1886 to 1897)
31 March 1914 · off the coast of Newfoundland; exact position uncertain
The ship Barque-rigged steam sealer (Antarctic expedition ship), United Kingdom (originally Norway)
Built designed by Colin Archer, built by Ole Martin Olsen, Arendal, Norway, launched September 1886
Size 146 ft (45 m) long; 520 GRT
Aboard 174
Lives lost all 174
Carsten Borchgrevink's Southern Cross Expedition ship broke through the pack into the Ross Sea in December 1898. From 1901 she joined the Newfoundland seal hunt and in 1914 vanished returning from the hunt; the inquiry found she sank in a blizzard.
Why she is remembered Part of the 1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster with the SS Newfoundland; her loss led to 1916 safety legislation for sealers and a folk song, Southern Cross.
The wreck today Never found; no survivors or records recovered.
Sources differ Inquiry blamed a blizzard; oral tradition says rotten planking gave way and the cargo shifted.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
Endurance Ice
21 November 1915 (trapped in the ice from 18 January 1915; crew left the ship on 27 October 1915) · Weddell Sea, Antarctica; position per log 68°39′30″S 52°26′30″W; wreck found at 68°44′21″S 52°19′47″W
The ship Three-masted barquentine with auxiliary steam engine (polar expedition ship), United Kingdom
Built Framnaes shipyard, Sandefjord, Norway, launched 17 December 1912
Size 144 ft (44 m) long, 25 ft (7.6 m) beam, 350 GRT; 350 hp coal-fired steam engine, max 10.2 knots
Aboard 28
Lives lost none; all 28 survived and were rescued in 1916
Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition ship was beset in the Weddell Sea pack ice on 18 January 1915 and drifted with it for months. Ice pressure progressively crushed the hull, the crew left her on 27 October 1915, and on 21 November 1915 the wreck fell through the ice and sank. All 28 men survived and were rescued in 1916.
Why she is remembered One of the great survival stories of polar exploration, recorded in Frank Hurley's photographs and books such as Alfred Lansing's Endurance (1959).
The wreck today Found on 5 March 2022 by the Endurance22 expedition at 3,008 m, in a brilliant state of preservation with her name legible on the stern. Protected historic site under the Antarctic Treaty System; protection perimeter widened from 500 m to 1,500 m.
Sources differ Recorded loss position (68°39′30″S 52°26′30″W) differs from the actual wreck position (68°44′21″S 52°19′47″W).
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (originally Norway)
Scotia Fire
Also known as Hekla (1872 to 1902)
18 January 1916 · Bristol Channel, off Sully Island, Glamorgan, Wales
The ship Barque with auxiliary steam (sealer, Antarctic expedition ship), United Kingdom (originally Norway)
Built Jorgensen and Knudsen, Drammen, Norway, 1872; rebuilt by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, 1902
Size 139 ft 6 in (42.5 m) long, 28 ft 9 in beam, 15 ft 6 in depth; 375 GRT
Aboard Crew; all survived
Lives lost none recorded
Bought by William Speirs Bruce in 1902 for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition and strengthened against ice, Scotia sailed in November 1902, wintered frozen in at Laurie Island and returned in July 1904. She was later lost by fire in the Bristol Channel in 1916.
Why she is remembered The Scotia Sea and the Scotia Plate are named after her; she appears on Falkland Islands and British Antarctic Territory stamps.
The wreck today Burnt out off Sully Island; no salvage recorded.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Probably William Speirs Bruce himself, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
SY Aurora Missing
1917 (posted missing by Lloyd's on 2 January 1918) · en route from Newcastle, New South Wales to Iquique, Chile; lifebelts recovered in the Tasman Sea
The ship Barque-rigged steam yacht (former sealer, polar expedition ship), United Kingdom
Built Alexander Stephen and Sons, Dundee, 1876
Size 165 ft long, 30.5 ft beam; 580 GRT
Lives lost unknown
Aurora served Mawson's and Shackleton's expeditions and in January 1917 rescued seven survivors of the Ross Sea party under Captain John King Davis. Sold, she sailed from Newcastle with coal for Chile in 1917 and vanished. She is believed to have been a war casualty, possibly sunk by a mine laid by the German raider Wolf.
Why she is remembered Shackleton's second Endurance expedition ship, remembered for the rescue of the Ross Sea party.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
Zebrina Missing
found October 1917; burned 1953 · found ashore at Rozel Point, south of Cherbourg, France; destroyed at Velder Creek, Portsmouth
The ship Three-masted schooner-rigged sailing barge, United Kingdom
Built Whitstable, Kent, 1873
Size 189 tons burthen
Aboard 5 (Captain Martin and crew)
Lives lost all 5 crew disappeared
Sailing from Falmouth with Swansea coal for Saint-Brieuc in October 1917, she was found two days later ashore and undamaged except for her rigging, with no one aboard. A U-boat was suspected at first, but David Masters' 1932 study concluded the crew were washed overboard in a squall.
Why she is remembered A First World War ghost ship; popular versions wrongly say she was found adrift and misspell her destination.
The wreck today Destroyed by fire in 1953 at Velder Creek, Portsmouth.
Sources differ Popular accounts say adrift, the documented account says ashore.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States (Navy)
USS Cyclops Missing
after 4 March 1918 · Atlantic, on passage from Barbados towards Baltimore; possible sighting near Virginia on 9 March 1918 is unconfirmed
The ship Collier (naval fuel ship), United States (Navy)
Built William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, launched 7 May 1910
Size capacity 8,000 long tons normal, 10,800 long tons maximum
Aboard 306 crew and passengers
Lives lost all 306
Carrying 10,800 long tons of manganese ore from Brazil, overloaded and with one engine disabled, she left Barbados and never reached Baltimore. The Naval History and Heritage Command considers a storm sinking probable; structural failure, cargo shift, U-boat attack and sabotage have also been suggested.
Why she is remembered One of the best known disappearances at sea, widely linked in novels, TV and documentaries to the Bermuda Triangle legend.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: New York Navy Yard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom
Nimrod Storm
January 1919 · Barber Sands off Caister, Norfolk, North Sea
The ship Sealer, Antarctic expedition ship, later collier, United Kingdom
Built launched 1867
Aboard 12
Lives lost 10 (survivors: first mate James Truelsen and boatswain Russell Gregory)
Ernest Shackleton's ship for the 1907 to 1909 Nimrod Expedition towards the South Pole. Carrying 330 tons of coal from Blyth to Calais in a gale, she ran onto the Barber Sands and was holed below the waterline.
Why she is remembered The ship of Ernest Shackleton's 1907 to 1909 Nimrod Expedition, his first Antarctic expedition as leader.
Sources differ The Great Yarmouth Mercury calls her 54 years old in 1919, while Wikipedia gives a launch year of 1867.
Sources Wikipedia · greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States
Carroll A. Deering Missing
found aground 31 January 1921; destroyed with dynamite 4 March 1921 · Diamond Shoals, off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
The ship Five-masted cargo schooner, United States
Built G. G. Deering Company, Bath, Maine, launched 4 April 1919
Size 255 ft long, 44 ft beam; 1,879 tons
Aboard 11
Lives lost all 11 crew disappeared
She was found hard aground with all sails set, her log, navigation equipment, personal effects and two lifeboats gone, and her steering damaged. No trace of the crew was found. Investigators considered piracy, rum-running and mutiny; a message in a bottle claiming piracy was proven a forgery.
Why she is remembered No official explanation was ever given, and she is often linked to the Bermuda Triangle legend; her bell and capstan are at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.
The wreck today Dynamited as a hazard to navigation in March 1921.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea
Governor Parr Storm
abandoned 3 October 1923 · North Atlantic, on passage Ingramport, Nova Scotia to Buenos Aires; later drifted as far as the Canary Islands
The ship Four-masted schooner
Built W. R. Huntley and Sons, launched 30 November 1918
Size 200 ft long, 18.6 ft depth; 912 tons
Aboard Crew, rescued by SS Schodack
Lives lost 2 (Captain Angus Richards and one seaman)
Dismasted in a storm, the schooner stayed afloat after her crew were taken off and drifted around the Atlantic. Salvage attempts, including a Coast Guard tow in January 1924, failed and she was sighted for years as a menace to navigation.
Why she is remembered A documented drifting derelict, listed among real ghost ships.
The wreck today Final fate unknown.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Denmark (East Asiatic Company)
Kobenhavn Missing
last heard from 22 December 1928; posted missing by Lloyd's 1 January 1930 · South Atlantic, last reported about 900 miles from Tristan da Cunha, on passage Buenos Aires to Melbourne
The ship Five-masted barque (training ship), Denmark (East Asiatic Company)
Built Ramage and Ferguson, Leith, Scotland, completed 24 March 1921
Size 131.9 m long, 14.9 m beam; 3,965 GRT; 4,644.4 square metres of sail
Aboard 75
Lives lost all 75 presumed lost
The Danish training ship left Buenos Aires on 14 December 1928 in ballast for Melbourne and radioed that all was well on 22 December. Nothing more was heard. The most accepted theory is an iceberg collision; another is capsize in heavy wind while in ballast.
Why she is remembered The world's largest sailing ship when completed. Later reported sightings of a five-masted ghost ship, and a cadet's diary said to have been found in a bottle on Bouvet Island in 1934, are unverified stories.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources differ Wikipedia's ghost ship list gives the last contact as 28 December rather than 22 December 1928. The stated 26 crew and 45 cadets total 71, not 75. The total is given as 75, but the breakdown given (26 crew and 45 cadets) does not add up to it.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Norway; later Canada as Baymaud
Maud Ice
Also known as later renamed Baymaud (1925 to 1990)
1930 · Cambridge Bay, Victoria Island, Nunavut, Canada
The ship Oak-hulled polar exploration ship with semi-diesel engine, Norway; later Canada as Baymaud
Built Asker, Norway, launched June 1916 or 17 June 1917
Size 36.5 m long, 12.3 m beam, 4.85 m depth; 292 register tons; 240 hp semi-diesel
Built for Roald Amundsen, Maud completed the Northeast Passage between 1918 and 1924. Sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1925 as the supply ship Baymaud, she was frozen in at Cambridge Bay in 1926 and sank at her moorings in 1930, lying just offshore for decades.
Why she is remembered Amundsen's Northeast Passage ship and one of the few polar wrecks to have been raised and brought home.
The wreck today Raised on 31 July 2016 and returned to Norway via the Northwest Passage, arriving at Vollen on 18 August 2018 for a planned museum.
Sources differ Launch date given as June 1916 or 17 June 1917.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Anders Beer Wilse, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (Hudson's Bay Company, registered London)
Baychimo Ice
Also known as Ångermanelfven
abandoned October to November 1931 · pack ice off north-west Alaska, between Point Barrow and Icy Cape
The ship Steel cargo steamer, United Kingdom (Hudson's Bay Company, registered London)
Built Lindholmens Mekaniska Verkstad, Gothenburg, Sweden, 1914
Size 230 ft (70 m); 1,322 tons
Aboard crew of the Hudson's Bay Company; 22 flown out, 15 stayed for a time
Lives lost none stated
Trapped in pack ice on 1 October 1931, she was abandoned after a blizzard. She did not sink, and was sighted drifting in the Arctic many times until 1969.
Why she is remembered The ghost ship of the Arctic.
The wreck today Never found; an Alaskan government search began in 2006.
Sources differ Her final fate is unknown.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Aldus Books London, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Soviet Union
SS Chelyuskin Ice
Also known as Semion Chelyuskin (christened name per source)
13 February 1934 · near Kolyuchin Island, Chukchi Sea, 68.3014°N 172.8278°W, about 50 m deep
The ship Steamship reinforced for ice navigation, Soviet Union
Built Burmeister and Wain, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1933
Size 310.2 ft long, 54.3 ft beam; 7,500 tons; 2,400 hp, 12.5 knots
Aboard 111 at the start; 104 when she sank, including 10 women and 2 children
Lives lost 1 (B. G. Mogilevich, killed by deck cargo during the sinking)
Attempting the Northern Sea Route from Murmansk to Vladivostok, Chelyuskin was beset and crushed by the ice. The survivors built an airstrip on the ice; women and children were flown out on 5 March and the men in April 1934.
Why she is remembered Seven of the rescue pilots were the first people to receive the title Hero of the Soviet Union; the ordeal inspired a documentary, a poem by Marina Tsvetaeva and a 1970 East German TV film.
The wreck today Found in September 2006 at about 50 m in the Chukchi Sea.
Sources differ Source gives 111 aboard initially and 104 at the sinking after 8 were landed at Kolyuchin Island, figures that do not reconcile exactly.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · France
Pourquoi-Pas? IV Storm
16 September 1936 · Alftanes reefs, Myrar, west Iceland
The ship Three-masted polar and oceanographic research ship, France
Built Chantiers Francois Gautier, Saint-Malo, keel laid 1907, launched 1908
Size 40 m long, 9.2 m beam; 445 tons displacement
Aboard about 38 to 39 (34 crew and 4 to 5 scientists)
Lives lost all but one, including Commander Jean-Baptiste Charcot, aged 69
Returning from Greenland, Charcot's ship was caught in a violent cyclonic storm and driven onto the reefs off Iceland. The only survivor was the master helmsman Eugene Gonidec.
Why she is remembered Jean-Baptiste Charcot's famous polar ship, from 1912 the first training ship of the French Navy; the explorer died in her wreck.
Sources differ French Wikipedia gives 23 confirmed dead and 17 missing plus one survivor, which exceeds its own figure of 38 to 39 aboard.
Sources Wikipédia (FR)
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Germany (Hamburg); previously Belgium and Finland
Admiral Karpfanger Missing
Also known as L'Avenir (until 1937)
March 1938 (last wireless message 12 March 1938) · Southern Ocean, on passage from Port Germein, South Australia to the UK via Cape Horn; last position reported 1 March at 51°S 172°E
The ship Four-masted barque (cargo and sail training ship), Germany (Hamburg); previously Belgium and Finland
Built R. C. Rickmers, Geestemunde, 1908
Size 285.6 ft long, 45.2 ft beam, 25.2 ft depth; 2,738 GRT
Aboard 60 (27 men and 33 cadets)
Lives lost all 60
Carrying 3,447 tons of wheat, she left Port Germein on 8 February 1938 and was never seen again after her last radio message. The Hamburg maritime court suggested an iceberg or heavy sea damage and recorded force majeure.
Why she is remembered One of the last great sailing ship losses of the grain race era, with a large number of young cadets aboard.
The wreck today Never found; in October 1938 a Chilean ship found door pieces, part of a nameplate and wreckage in Windhound Bay, Navarino Island.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Allan C. Green 1878 - 1954, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Norway; Belgium 1896 to 1916; Norway 1916 to 1940
Belgica War
Also known as Patria (1884 to 1896); Isfjord (1916 to 1917)
1940 (out of service 19 May 1940, scuttled June 1940 per source) · Harstad, northern Norway
The ship Barque-rigged steamship (whaler, Antarctic research ship, later factory ship), Norway; Belgium 1896 to 1916; Norway 1916 to 1940
Built Christian Brinch Jorgensen, Svelvik, Norway, 1884
Size 35.97 m (118 ft) long, 7.62 m (25 ft) beam, 4.11 m draught; 263 GRT
Under Adrien de Gerlache, with Roald Amundsen aboard, Belgica became the first ship to winter in Antarctica in 1898 to 1899 during the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. Requisitioned by the British in April 1940, she was scuttled at Harstad when the Franco-British force evacuated, to prevent her capture.
Why she is remembered First ship to overwinter in Antarctica; her anchor is in the Polar Museum, Tromso, Belgica Rupes on Mercury is named after her, and a replica has been planned.
The wreck today Wreck located in 1990 at Harstad; plans exist to raise her for display at a Belgian maritime museum.
Sources differ Source gives both 19 May 1940 and June 1940 for her loss.
Sources Wikipedia
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (expedition service)
Terra Nova Other causes
13 September 1943 · off south-west Greenland, 60°15′15″N 45°55′45″W
The ship Wooden-hulled barque with steam engine (whaler, sealer, Antarctic expedition ship), United Kingdom (expedition service)
Built Alexander Stephen and Sons, Dundee, 1884
Size 187 ft long, 31.4 ft beam, 19 ft draught; 764 GRT
Aboard All aboard were rescued
Lives lost none in the sinking
Terra Nova carried Captain Robert Falcon Scott's 1910 to 1913 British Antarctic Expedition; Scott and four companions reached the Pole on 17 January 1912, 34 days after Amundsen, and died on the return. Still working in 1943, she was damaged with water over the boilers and the pumps failing, and after her people were taken off she was sunk by gunfire.
Why she is remembered The ship of Scott's last expedition; her figurehead is at the National Museum of Wales and her bell at the Scott Polar Research Institute.
The wreck today Found in July 2012 by the Schmidt Ocean Institute's RV Falkor; visually surveyed in June 2025 by maritime archaeologists aboard MY Legend.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Herbert Ponting, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Netherlands (alleged)
SS Ourang Medan Legend
alleged June 1947 or February 1948; an earlier 1940 version also exists · alleged Straits of Malacca; other versions place it near the Solomon or Marshall Islands
The ship Alleged Dutch merchant ship, Netherlands (alleged)
According to the story, a distress call led rescuers to a ship whose crew were all dead, before fire broke out and she sank. The tale traces to Italian radio operator and journalist Silvio Scherli, published in Il Piccolo (Trieste) in October 1940, and changed between later versions.
Why she is remembered A widely retold ghost ship story. It is a legend: no record of the ship has been found in Lloyd's Register or Dutch registries, and researchers suggest the story may be exaggerated or entirely fictitious.
The wreck today No evidence the ship existed.
Sources differ Dates and locations differ between versions (1940 Solomon Islands; 1947 or 1948 Straits of Malacca; Marshall Islands).
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United States
Joyita Missing
departed Apia, Samoa, 3 October 1955; found derelict 10 November 1955 · drifting north of Vanua Levu, Fiji, more than 600 miles west of her route
The ship Former luxury yacht used as a merchant and charter vessel, United States
Built Wilmington Boat Works, 1931
Size 69 ft (21 m); 70 GRT
Aboard 25 (16 crew and 9 passengers)
Lives lost all 25 missing
A fractured cooling pipe flooded her engine room and the bilge pumps failed; she listed heavily but her cork-lined hull kept her afloat. Everyone aboard, the dinghy, rafts, logbook and navigation instruments were gone.
Why she is remembered A South Pacific ghost ship mystery, the subject of Robin Maugham's The Joyita Mystery (1962) and David G. Wright's Joyita: Solving the Mystery (2002).
The wreck today Salvaged in 1956, later grounded repeatedly, abandoned and stripped; she had disintegrated by the late 1970s.
Sources differ Theories range from engine failure, flooding and panic to piracy or conflict between the captain and the mate; none is proven.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom during the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition; later Norway
Quest Ice
Also known as Foca I (1917 to 1921); HMS Quest (1940 to 1946)
5 May 1962 · Labrador Sea, about 85 km (53 mi) off the east coast of Labrador
The ship Sealer, expedition ship and wartime minesweeper, United Kingdom during the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition; later Norway
Built Erik Lindstols Batbyggeri, Risor, Norway, 1917
Size 111 ft long, 24 ft beam, 12 ft depth of hold; 209 GRT
Lives lost none; the crew was saved
Quest carried the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition, and Sir Ernest Shackleton died aboard her in harbour at South Georgia on 5 January 1922. After service as a sealer and in the Second World War, she was holed by ice and sank while sealing in 1962.
Why she is remembered The ship on which Shackleton died; his cabin is at the Athy Heritage Centre, Ireland, and her crow's nest is in All Hallows by the Tower, London.
The wreck today Found on 9 June 2024 by a team led by John Geiger (Royal Canadian Geographical Society) at 390 m, broadly intact apart from a broken main mast.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unidentified photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · United Kingdom (registered Bridgwater)
Teignmouth Electron Other causes
found abandoned 10 July 1969 · North Atlantic, 33°11′N 40°28′W; now beached on Cayman Brac
The ship 41 ft trimaran (ocean racing yacht), United Kingdom (registered Bridgwater)
Built Cox Marine Ltd and L. J. Eastwood Ltd, June to October 1968
Size 41 ft
Aboard 1 (Donald Crowhurst)
Lives lost 1
Crowhurst entered the 1968 Golden Globe single-handed round the world race and from 6 December 1968 reported false positions and fabricated mileage. His logs record a breakdown; he is presumed to have gone overboard around 1 July 1969, and the empty boat was found on 10 July by RMS Picardy.
Why she is remembered Told in the documentary Deep Water (2006) and the film The Mercy (2018) with Colin Firth, for which a full-scale replica was built.
The wreck today Decaying on Cayman Brac, well past preservation; owned since 2007 by artist Michael Jones McKean, who commissioned a digital scan in 2017.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Scuppersthesailordog, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · Indonesia (Taiwanese vessel, sailing from Liuchiu, Taiwan)
High Aim 6 Missing
found derelict 8 January 2003 · about 80 nautical miles east of Rowley Shoals, inside Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, off Western Australia
The ship Longline fishing vessel, Indonesia (Taiwanese vessel, sailing from Liuchiu, Taiwan)
Aboard crew of about 10 (exact number not definitively stated)
Lives lost all crew missing
She left Liuchiu, Taiwan on 31 October 2002 and was found drifting with no sign of distress, crew effects aboard, engine dead and rudder locked. One crew member later arrested said others had killed the captain and engineer on 8 December, but gave no clear motive or details.
Why she is remembered A modern ghost ship case that remains unexplained.
The wreck today Beached at Broome as a tourist attraction for about a year, then broken up in October 2004 and taken to landfill.
Sources differ Motive and circumstances of the alleged mutiny remain unclear.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · unknown; no flag or registration papers found
Jian Seng Scuttled
found adrift March 2006; scuttled 21 April 2006 · Gulf of Carpentaria, about 180 km south-west of Weipa, Queensland, Australia
The ship Tanker, believed to be a bunker and resupply vessel, unknown; no flag or registration papers found
Size 80 m
Aboard no one aboard when found
Lives lost none known
Australian Coastwatch aircraft found the tanker drifting with no crew, identifying marks removed and machinery inoperable. Rice aboard led authorities to believe she had resupplied fishing boats before her tow line broke. She was towed to deep water and scuttled.
Why she is remembered A modern ghost ship that raised questions in the Australian Senate about border surveillance.
The wreck today Scuttled in deep water on 21 April 2006.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea
Kaz II Missing
found derelict 20 April 2007 (spotted drifting on 18 April) · about 88 nautical miles off the north-east coast of Queensland, Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef
The ship Catamaran (yacht)
Size 9.8 m
Aboard 3 (Derek Batten, Peter Tunstead, James Tunstead, all from Perth)
Lives lost all 3, presumed drowned
Kaz II left Airlie Beach on 15 April 2007 for Townsville. When boarded on 20 April her engine was running, food was on the table and a laptop was on, but the three men were gone. The State Coroner found that one probably fell overboard freeing a fishing lure and the others were lost trying to help.
Why she is remembered Dubbed the ghost yacht and compared with the Mary Celeste.
The wreck today Vessel recovered; not a wreck.
Sources differ Relatives questioned the coroner's weather-related explanation given the undisturbed cabin.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea · uncertain: reported as Panama or Tanzania
MV Alta Other causes
abandoned October 2018; ran aground 16 February 2020 · abandoned in the Atlantic; grounded at Ballycotton, County Cork, Ireland
The ship Merchant ship (cargo vessel), uncertain: reported as Panama or Tanzania
Built launched 17 March 1976
Size 77.32 m long; 2,295 tonnes; 1,640 DWT
Aboard Crew, rescued by the US Coast Guard about 2,200 km south-east of Bermuda
Lives lost none recorded
Her engines failed in the Atlantic in 2018 and her crew were taken off by the US Coast Guard. The empty ship then drifted for about 18 months before going ashore near Ballycotton in a storm in February 2020. Her hull had split in two by early 2022.
Why she is remembered A rare modern ghost ship that caught the public imagination; her ownership has never been established.
The wreck today Still on the rocks at Ballycotton; as of 2024 there were no plans to remove her because of the risk to salvors and the environment.
Sources differ Flag reported as Panamanian in some sources and Tanzanian in others.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Portugal
Conceição Reef and rocks
22 August 1555 (Chagos News) or 1556 (Wikipedia) · Peros Banhos atoll, Chagos Archipelago (Nelson Island suggested as an alternative)
The ship Nau (Portuguese merchantman), Portugal
Aboard About 400 (estimate)
Lives lost About 300 or more
Under Captain Francisco Nobre, she ran onto shoals after the pilot ignored signs of shallow water. 165 survivors were left on a sandy islet of Peros Banhos.
Why she is remembered Castaway Manoel Rangel recorded the ordeal in 'A Tragédia dos Baixos de Pero dos Banhos'.
The wreck today Never found; an old anchor reported in the reef at Nelson Island may merit investigation.
Sources differ Year 1555 versus 1556; location Peros Banhos versus Nelson Island.
Sources chagos-trust.org · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Portugal
Santo Alberto Other causes
1593 · Sunrise-on-Sea, Eastern Cape, South Africa
The ship Galleon (Portuguese India route), Portugal
Aboard 285
Leaking after leaving Cochin, she was run ashore; everyone reached land, and the party negotiated with local people to be guided to Maputo Bay.
Why she is remembered Unusually, her whole company reached shore and set out overland for Maputo Bay.
The wreck today Found in 1979 by Graham Bell-Cross, identified by Ming porcelain.
Sources theheritageportal.co.za
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Banda Storm
5 March 1615 · West coast of Mauritius, off Pointe Moyenne at the foot of the Médine cliffs
The ship East Indiaman of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Size 800 tons (400 last)
Aboard About 100 people
Lives lost 30 dead reported, including Admiral Pieter Both, first Governor General of the Dutch East Indies
Returning homeward from Bantam in Pieter Both's four-ship fleet, the Banda was caught by a cyclone at Mauritius and struck a reef while seeking shelter. Of the fleet (Banda, Delft, Gelderland, Geünieerde Provinciën) only the Delft returned to the Netherlands.
Why she is remembered Mauritius's second highest mountain, Pieter Both, is named after the admiral who drowned; the Banda is the oldest recorded wreck in Mauritian waters.
The wreck today Located in 1979 by Patrick Lizé and Jacques Dumas with Pierre de Sornay's Mauritius Underwater Group, at depths of 2 to 50 m. Over 400 objects raised, including about 90 intact porcelain pieces, a Portuguese bronze astrolabe dated 1568, cannons, anchors and coins; finds shown at the National History Museum, Mahébourg.
Sources differ Location given as off Médine/Pointe Moyenne (Le Mauricien, l'Express) but as anchored off Port Louis (GlobeRovers).
Sources mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl · Le Mauricien · l'Express · globerovers.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Gelderland Storm
1615 · Off Port Louis, north-west Mauritius
The ship Dutch East India Company ship (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
One of the ships of the VOC fleet of Pieter Both lost in a violent storm while anchored off the north-west coast of Mauritius in 1615, together with the Banda and the Geünieerde Provinciën.
Why she is remembered Part of the earliest group of shipwrecks recorded at Mauritius, the fleet of Pieter Both.
The wreck today Le Mauricien reported in 2015 that she was the subject of ongoing archaeological research, while the Delft of the same fleet escaped in extremis.
Sources globerovers.com · Le Mauricien
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Geünieerde Provinciën (Provinces Unies) Storm
March 1615 · Reef north of Albion, west coast of Mauritius
The ship VOC ship, Dutch Republic (VOC)
One of the three ships of Pieter Both's homeward fleet wrecked at Mauritius in the cyclone of March 1615.
Why she is remembered Part of the 1615 disaster that killed Admiral Pieter Both and gave his name to a Mauritian mountain.
The wreck today Found by fishermen in 1975 and excavated in 1990 under Erick Surcouf; six iron cannons, porcelain fragments and three lead ingots recovered.
Sources Le Mauricien · mass.cultureelerfgoed.nl
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Batavia Reef and rocks
4 June 1629 · Morning Reef near Beacon Island, Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia
The ship East Indiaman (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Amsterdam, 1628
Size 600 tons; 45.3 m x 10.19 m
Aboard 341
Lives lost About 40 drowned; about 110 to 125 survivors murdered by mutineers
On her maiden voyage she struck Morning Reef. While commander Pelsaert sailed a boat some 3,000 km to Batavia, Jeronimus Cornelisz led a mutiny and massacre; soldier Wiebbe Hayes's group resisted until rescue came on the Sardam, and Cornelisz was executed.
Why she is remembered Remembered for the mutiny and massacre; a full-scale replica built 1985 to 1995 is at Lelystad; Mike Dash's Batavia's Graveyard (2001) and other books and films.
The wreck today Sighted in 1963 by lobster fisherman David Johnson, excavated in the 1970s; about 20 tonnes of hull timber conserved at the WA Museum, Fremantle and Geraldton.
Sources differ Aboard given as 341, 332 or 322; 122 reached port alive. Murdered: at least 110 versus about 125.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Nieuwe Haerlem Storm
25 March 1647 · Milnerton beach, Table Bay, South Africa
The ship Dutch East Indiaman, Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Amsterdam
Size 500 tons
Homeward bound, she ran aground in a sudden gale.
Why she is remembered Their favourable reports to the VOC led Jan van Riebeeck to found the refreshment station at the Cape in 1652, the start of Cape Town.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon) Reef and rocks
28 April 1656 · Off Western Australia between Seabird and Ledge Point, about 100 km north of Perth
The ship Jacht (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Before 1653 (bought by the VOC in 1653)
Size 38.78 m; 260 tons
Aboard 193 crew; eight chests of silver coin and trade goods
Lives lost 118 believed lost
Bound for Batavia, she struck a submerged reef. 75 reached shore; seven sailed a boat to Batavia in 41 days to get help, but rescue voyages failed to find the others.
Why she is remembered Her lost survivors are among the first Europeans known to have lived in Australia.
The wreck today Found on 14 April 1963 by John Cowen, Jim, Alan and Graeme Henderson and Alan Robinson; under archaeological control from 1972; finds at the WA Maritime Museum, Fremantle.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Steve Caffery GDRG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Arnhem Storm
12 February 1662 · Saint Brandon Rocks (Cargados Carajos), about 200 km north-east of Mauritius
The ship Dutch East Indiaman (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Amsterdam, about 1654
Size 1,000 tons
Aboard Crew under Captain Pieter Anthoniszoon
Part of a seven-ship VOC return fleet that left Batavia on 23 December 1661, she was separated in a violent storm on 11 February 1662 and ran aground the next day on Saint Brandon. Survivors, among them Volkert Evertsz, reached Mauritius in a small boat and lived for about three months on goats, birds, tortoises and pigs until rescued by the English ship Truroe in May 1662.
Why she is remembered Her survivors on Mauritius are thought to have been the last people to see living dodos.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Oosterland Storm
24 May 1697 · Table Bay, near the Salt River mouth, Cape Town, South Africa
The ship East Indiaman (VOC), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Zeeland, 1685
Size 1,123 tons; 160 ft
Aboard About 200 to 300
Lives lost Between 185 and 298 (reports conflict)
Homeward from Ceylon, she anchored in Table Bay; in a north-westerly gale the Kallendijk's anchor struck her, breaking the bowsprit and mainmast, her cables parted and she was driven ashore with the Waddinxveen.
Why she is remembered A key site in South African maritime archaeology, excavated by Bruno Werz.
The wreck today Found in 1988 by divers Graham Raynor, Michael Barchard and Christopher Byrnes at about 6 m; excavated from the early 1990s with the University of Cape Town (cinnamon, textiles, diamonds); protected under the National Heritage Resources Act.
Sources differ Death toll 185 to 298. Wikipedia 'Shipwrecks of Cape Town' says the site is now under reclaimed land.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · England (privateer of Captain William Kidd)
Adventure Galley Scuttled
April 1698 · Île Sainte-Marie, off north-east Madagascar
The ship Oared frigate (galley frigate), England (privateer of Captain William Kidd)
Built William Castle, Deptford; launched 4 December 1695
Size 287 tons burthen; 124 ft keel; 28 ft beam; 32 to 34 guns
Kidd's rotten and leaking ship was abandoned at the pirate haven of Île Sainte-Marie after most of his crew deserted. Crewman William Jenkins said Kidd ran her ashore, stripped and burned her; Kidd said he could not keep her from sinking.
Why she is remembered The ship of Captain Kidd, whose capture of the Quedah Merchant branded him a pirate.
The wreck today Barry Clifford claimed to have found her remains in 1999 to 2000, but UNESCO experts later concluded the site was part of old port structures.
Sources differ Cause: burned on purpose (Jenkins) versus sank from leaks (Kidd). Wreck identification by Clifford rejected by UNESCO.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Pirate (English pirate John Bowen)
Speaker Reef and rocks
1702 · Reefs near Île aux Cerfs and Trou d'Eau Douce, east coast of Mauritius, about 2,400 m from shore
The ship Pirate ship, Pirate (English pirate John Bowen)
The ship of the English pirate John Bowen was wrecked on the east coast reefs of Mauritius, carrying cannons and treasure taken from Arab merchant ships.
Why she is remembered Described as the first pirate treasure ever found; a bronze cannon has been lent to the Mauritius Museums Council.
The wreck today Site studied; an evaluation study was completed in December 2021.
Sources l'Express · globerovers.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · England
Falcon Reef and rocks
1703 · St Brandon (Cargados Carajos)
The ship Ship, England
Under Captain Edward Ledger she ran aground at St Brandon and was nearly lost.
Why she is remembered One of the earliest recorded English wrecks on the St Brandon shoals.
Sources Wikipedia · saintbrandonconservation.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Zuytdorp Missing
1712 (sailed from the Netherlands 1 August 1711) · Zuytdorp Cliffs, Western Australia, between Kalbarri and Shark Bay, about 40 km north of the Murchison River
The ship VOC trading ship (East Indiaman), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built Early 18th century
Aboard Over 100 new crew had joined at the Cape of Good Hope in March 1712
Lives lost All aboard presumed lost; no survivors documented
Carrying freshly minted silver coins for Batavia on the Brouwer Route, she never arrived and was never heard from again. Her remains were later found at the foot of the cliffs that now bear her name.
Why she is remembered A long-lost VOC ship whose fate was solved centuries later; the cliffs are named after her.
The wreck today First sighted in 1927 by local families, identified in 1954 by Phillip Playford, first dived in May 1964. Protected zone under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018; finds at the Western Australian Museum (Fremantle and Geraldton).
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Dutch Republic (VOC)
Zeewijk Reef and rocks
9 June 1727 · Half Moon Reef, Pelsaert Group, Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, 60 km west of Geraldton
The ship East Indiaman (VOC, Zeeland Chamber), Dutch Republic (VOC)
Built 1725
Size 41.0 m x 11 m; 36 guns plus 6 swivels
Aboard 208 seamen and soldiers; 315,836 guilders in treasure
Lives lost 126 of 208
The skipper ignored VOC instructions and his steersman's protests, and the lookout took breakers for moonlight, so she struck the reef at night. Survivors built the 20 m sloop Sloepie and 82 reached Batavia on 30 April 1728.
Why she is remembered The Sloepie was the first European vessel built in Australia.
The wreck today Found in March 1968 by journalist Hugh Edwards and divers; finds at the Western Australian Museum.
Sources differ Length 41.0 m versus 145 ft (44 m).
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Saint-Géran Reef and rocks
Night of 16 to 17 August 1744 · Near Île d'Ambre (Amber Island), off the north-east coast of Île de France (Mauritius), south of the Passe des Citrons, Indian Ocean
The ship East Indiaman of the French East India Company (Compagnie des Indes), France
Built Launched at Lorient
Size 600 tons
Aboard Crew of 90 sailors (mostly Breton), 18 warrant officers and 19 cabin boys, plus officers, chaplain, surgeon, domestics, about 13 passengers and 30 enslaved people embarked at Gorée
Lives lost About 131 or more; only 9 survived (8 sailors and one passenger)
On her fourth voyage the Saint-Géran was lost at night through a navigational error and sank south of the Passe des Citrons. Passenger Louise Augustine Caillou is said to have refused to undress to swim for safety, and she and first ensign Montendre died together.
Why she is remembered The wreck inspired Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's novel Paul et Virginie, in which the heroine dies in the wreck of the Saint-Géran; a monument stands at Poudre d'Or.
The wreck today Local divers found artefacts in 1966; archaeologist Jean-Yves Blot confirmed the identity in 1979, at about 6 m depth. The ship's bell is in the Naval Museum at Mahébourg.
Sources differ Histoires Mauriciennes gives Mauritius, more than 200 aboard and 9 survivors of 181 recorded; Wikipedia's List of shipwrecks in 1744 says off Réunion with 51 of 60 lost.
Sources histoiresmauriciennes.com · Wikipedia · Wikipédia (FR) · globerovers.com · l'Express
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France (Royal Navy)
Ambulante Storm
1 March 1772 · Reef passage off Morne Brabant (Le Morne), south-west Mauritius
The ship Merchant frigate converted to a naval flûte (store ship), France (Royal Navy)
Built Marseille, 1758; converted to a flûte in 1762
Built as a merchant ship and bought by the French Royal Navy, she struck the reef passage at Le Morne and sank during a cyclone on 1 March 1772.
Why she is remembered A French royal navy store ship of the Île de France period, now an underwater archaeological site.
The wreck today Surveyed in 2018 and 2019 by the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society: iron knees, mast hoops, ballast stones, a pump piston shaft and one cannon.
Sources mmcs-ngo.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (East India Company charter)
Grosvenor Reef and rocks
4 August 1782 · Pondoland coast, South Africa, north of the Umzimvubu River
The ship East Indiaman, United Kingdom (East India Company charter)
Built 1777
Size 729 tons
Aboard 150 (132 crew, 18 passengers including 6 children)
Lives lost 27 in the wreck; about 96 more died on the trek or stayed among local communities
The crew failed to recognise signs of land at night and she ran aground. Captain Coxon led about 108 survivors toward Cape Town, badly underestimating the distance; only 18 reached it.
Why she is remembered Legends of treasure and of women survivors living among local people; a 1790 expedition found three white women, two possibly from the Grosvenor.
The wreck today Salvage from 1880 under Captain Sidney Turner recovered Indian coins, Venetian ducats and cannons; 340 more coins found by 1896.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Possibly George Carter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain
Atlas Reef and rocks
30 May 1786 · Ocean side reef of the east arm of Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago
The ship East India Company merchant ship, Great Britain
She was wrecked on the outer reef of Diego Garcia; her crew survived and joined the settlement there.
Why she is remembered One of the earliest recorded wrecks of Diego Garcia, contemporary with the first settlement of the atoll.
The wreck today Broken up by the sea.
Sources zianet.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain
Hampshire Reef and rocks
1793 · Barton Pass, entrance to the lagoon of Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago
The ship Merchant ship, Great Britain
She was wrecked while trying to enter the Diego Garcia lagoon through Barton Pass.
Why she is remembered An early recorded loss at the lagoon entrance of Diego Garcia.
Sources zianet.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
La Revanche Reef and rocks
25 October 1795 · St Brandon (Cargados Carajos)
The ship Corsair (privateer), France
Lives lost 8 crew died; 5 survivors reached Port Louis
The privateer was wrecked at St Brandon; five survivors made their way to Port Louis on Île de France, while eight of the crew perished.
Why she is remembered A loss from the great age of the Île de France corsairs during the French Revolutionary Wars.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Preneuse War
11 December 1799 · Ashore near Baie du Tombeau, just north of Port Louis, Île de France (Mauritius)
The ship Frigate, Preneuse class, 44 guns (28 x 18-pounders, 12 x 8-pounders), France
Built Rochefort, launched 16 February 1795
Size 47.8 m long, beam 11.9 m, 1,400 tonneaux
Returning to Île de France under Captain Jean-Mathieu-Adrien Lhermitte, she was chased by HMS Tremendous while HMS Adamant blocked her escape. Erratic winds drove her ashore under the coastal forts; Lhermitte struck his colours and scuttled her, and the shore batteries drove off British attempts to take her off.
Why she is remembered Her destruction under the guns of Port Louis in December 1799 is known as the Battle of Port Louis.
The wreck today Destroyed where she lay; a British boarding party under Lieutenant Edward Grey set the wreck alight at 21:00 on the night of the action.
Sources differ One account says British attempts to recover her were repelled by the coastal batteries after Lhermitte scuttled her; another says a boarding party from HMS Adamant reached the wreck and burned it without loss.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Sceptre Storm
5 November 1799 · Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, off present-day Woodstock Beach
The ship 64-gun third-rate ship of the line, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Randall, Rotherhithe; launched 8 June 1781
Size 1,398 tons burthen; 159 ft gundeck; 44 ft 4 in beam
Aboard 481 men
Lives lost About 349 seamen and marines
At anchor in Table Bay during a gale, her cables parted and at about 7 pm she was driven onto a reef and broken to pieces. 51 men reached shore, 9 of whom died on the beach; the survivors were acquitted at court martial on 14 December 1799.
Why she is remembered One of the worst naval disasters at the Cape.
The wreck today Near the present Royal Cape Yacht Club, Cape Town.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
La Victoire Other causes
1804 · Off Pointe aux Canonniers, north-west Mauritius
The ship Slave ship
A slave ship lost off Pointe aux Canonniers in 1804.
Why she is remembered One of the slave-trade wrecks in Mauritian waters under study.
The wreck today Preliminary study under way to decide whether excavation is warranted.
Sources l'Express
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain
HMS Blenheim Missing
February 1807 · Never found; presumed foundered off Madagascar. The French frigate Sémillante reported seeing her off Rodrigues in a gale on 18 February 1807
The ship Second-rate ship of the line, 90 guns, razeed to a 74-gun third rate in 1801, Great Britain
Built Woolwich Dockyard, launched 5 July 1761, designed by Israel Pownoll
Size 176 ft 1 in on the gundeck, 1,827 tons burthen
Aboard About 590
Lives lost About 590 in Blenheim; 280 in HMS Java, lost with her
Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge, she left Madras in January 1807 so leaky that she needed constant pumping. After parting from HMS Harrier in a gale on 5 February she was last seen flying distress signals, and neither she nor the frigate Java was ever seen again.
Why she is remembered One of the Royal Navy's great disappearances, taking an admiral and some 870 men in two ships; it is speculated that Java was lost trying to rescue Blenheim's crew.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia · histoiresmauriciennes.com
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France (captured from the United States)
Diligente Scuttled
Also known as Samson
August 1810 · Île de la Passe, entrance of Grand Port, south-east Mauritius
The ship Merchant ship used as a French supply ship (described as a fluyt), France (captured from the United States)
Originally the American ship Samson of New York, she was captured on 2 September 1809 by François Fidèle Ripaud de Montedevert of the corvette Créole, with a cargo of opium and 27,814 Spanish eight reales silver coins. Renamed and used as a supply ship, she was scuttled in August 1810 during the Battle of Grand Port.
Why she is remembered A French casualty of the Battle of Grand Port, alongside the British frigates Sirius and Magicienne.
The wreck today Discovered in 2005 and investigated in 2008 by the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society: only the keel and part of the wooden hull survive under a large ballast mound.
Sources mmcs-ngo.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy); originally France
HMS Magicienne Scuttled
Also known as Magicienne (French Navy frigate, captured 1781)
24 August 1810 · Grand Port, south-east Mauritius
The ship Frigate (fifth rate), ex-French, United Kingdom (Royal Navy); originally France
Built Toulon, designed by Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb, 1778; captured by HMS Chatham off Cape Ann on 2 September 1781
Size 600 port tonneaux; about 800 tons displacement; 32 guns in the Grand Port order of battle; crew 280
Aboard Crew of about 280
Lives lost 8 killed and 20 wounded in the final engagement
Magicienne grounded while attempting the channel at Grand Port and, unable to manoeuvre in calm conditions, was rapidly flooding with her capstan smashed. She was set on fire at 7.30 pm on 24 August 1810 to prevent capture, and her magazines exploded at 11 pm.
Why she is remembered One of the two British frigates destroyed by their own crews at Grand Port, the British Navy's most serious frigate defeat of the Napoleonic Wars.
Sources differ The ship article heads her as Magicienne (1778) while the URL refers to 1781, the year of capture; guns given as 36 as a French ship and 32 in the Grand Port order of battle.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Thomas Whitcombe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Sirius Scuttled
25 August 1810 · Grand Port (Mahébourg bay), south-east Mauritius
The ship 36-gun fifth-rate frigate, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built John Dudman, Deptford; launched 12 April 1797
Size 148 ft 10 in on the gundeck; armed with 26 x 18-pounders, 6 x 12-pounders and 2 x 9-pounders; complement 247
Aboard Complement of 247 officers and men
During the Battle of Grand Port Sirius grounded on 22 August, was refloated and grounded again; every effort to kedge her off failed. Her crew was taken off and she was set on fire at 9 am on 25 August; her magazine exploded at about 11 am and the hull drifted briefly off the reef before sinking.
Why she is remembered Grand Port was the only French naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe; the battle appears in Alexandre Dumas's Georges (1843) and Patrick O'Brian's The Mauritius Command (1977).
The wreck today Lies in some 20 to 25 m of water, broken up by her scuttling and by salvors, but of archaeological interest with many cannon exposed.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (East India Company charter)
Arniston Storm
30 May 1815 · Waenhuiskrans, near Cape Agulhas, South Africa
The ship East Indiaman, United Kingdom (East India Company charter)
Built William Barnard, Deptford, 1794
Size 1,468 tons burthen
Aboard 378, including wounded soldiers of the Kandyan Wars returning to England
Lives lost 372; 6 survived (the carpenter and five sailors)
Separated from her convoy in bad weather and without a marine chronometer, her officers mistook Cape Agulhas for the Cape of Good Hope by dead reckoning. Her anchors failed in the storm and she broke up on the rocks.
Why she is remembered The village of Waenhuiskrans is also called Arniston after her; the loss strengthened the case for the Cape Agulhas lighthouse (1847 to 1848) and shows the cost of sailing without a chronometer.
The wreck today In about 6 m of water; surveyed by the University of Cape Town in 1982. Artefacts in the Bredasdorp museum.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Blucher Storm
1 March 1818 · Île de France (Mauritius)
The ship Ship, United Kingdom
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Mauritius in the hurricane of 1 March 1818, in which the frigate HMS Magicienne also sank at the island before being refloated.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the 1818 hurricane at Port Louis.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain (East India Company)
Cabalva Reef and rocks
7 July 1818 · Cargados Carajos shoals (St Brandon), north-east of Mauritius
The ship East Indiaman, Great Britain (East India Company)
Built Wells, Wigram & Green, Blackwall (yard no. 146), launched 3 October 1811
Size 1,257 tons burthen, 165 ft 7 7/8 in overall, beam 42 ft, three decks
Aboard Complement of about 120
Lives lost Captain James Dalrymple, Assistant Surgeon Grant and 15 seamen, drowned when the longboat capsized
She sprang a leak off the Cape of Good Hope on 22 June 1818 and ran onto the Cargados shoals. The captain, the assistant surgeon and 15 seamen, the last to leave in the longboat, drowned when it capsized in heavy seas. The ship and cargo, valued at 149,570 pounds, were lost.
Why she is remembered Sixth Mate Charles William Francken led survivors to Mauritius without navigation instruments and was rewarded with 50 guineas and a presentation sextant.
The wreck today Wreck site located by divers in 1985; Spanish silver pieces of eight recovered from it were later sold at coin auctions.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Thomas Whitcombe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Paix Storm
1 March 1818 · Île de France (Mauritius)
The ship Ship, France
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Mauritius in the hurricane of 1 March 1818.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the 1818 hurricane at Mauritius.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Netherlands
Admiraal Evertsen Other causes
April 1819 (reached Diego Garcia 10 April 1819) · Off Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago; sank in deep water west of the atoll according to one local history
The ship Ship of the line, Netherlands
Aboard Rear-Admiral Buyskes, with the botanist Caspar Reinwardt's collections, commanded by Captain Q. M. R. Ver Huell
Lives lost Crew rescued; no deaths stated
Homeward bound from the Dutch East Indies in March 1819 with Reinwardt's botanical collections for Leiden, she leaked so badly that the pumps were worked continuously. Off Diego Garcia Rear-Admiral Buyskes overruled Ver Huell and ordered her abandoned; the American brig Pickering took off the crew, who went on via Mauritius to the Netherlands.
Why she is remembered Ver Huell, an artist as well as an officer, painted her just before she foundered with the Pickering in the background; he was court-martialled and acquitted.
The wreck today Not found; one source says she sank in deep water west of Diego Garcia.
Sources differ The Diego Garcia history page describes her as a 178 ft twin-screw steamer that caught fire and sank on 8 to 9 April 1819; Wikipedia's Ver Huell article calls her a ship of the line. Steam propulsion is not plausible for 1819 and is not confirmed elsewhere.
Sources Wikipedia · zianet.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Le Coureur Reef and rocks
1821 · Pointe aux Feuilles, in the lagoon of south-east Mauritius, on the reef bordering the channel
The ship Two-masted lugger-rigged schooner (goélette), slave ship, France
Size Small to medium vessel for coastal navigation (no figures stated)
A schooner engaged in the illegal slave trade after its abolition, she ran onto the reef at Pointe aux Feuilles; the bow was destroyed by a violent impact with the reef. GlobeRovers states she struck the reef while pursued by the British.
Why she is remembered One of the few slave-ship wrecks excavated in the Indian Ocean, studied within the UNESCO Slave Route project.
The wreck today Found in October 2004 by Armiyo Vurdapa Naiken, dive chief at Mahébourg Marine Farm; excavated April to June 2005 by the Mauritius Museums Council and the National Heritage Fund with Egyptian archaeologist Ibrahim Metwalli and Yann von Arnim. Lies at 4 to 14 m; about 500 objects recovered.
Sources differ Date of loss: 1821 (GRAN excavation report, GlobeRovers) versus 1776 (l'Express).
Sources l'Express · globerovers.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Clelie Storm
23 February 1824 · Port Louis harbour, Mauritius
The ship Brig, United Kingdom
The brig sank at Port Louis harbour, Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United States
Concorde Storm
23 February 1824 · Mauritius
The ship Full-rigged ship, United States
The full-rigged ship driven ashore and wrecked at Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Delight Storm
22 or 23 February 1824 · Indian Ocean off Mauritius
The ship Cherokee-class brig-sloop, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Aboard 75 crew and 110 recaptured slaves
Lives lost All aboard: 75 crew and 110 recaptured slaves
In the storm that struck Mauritius and Île Bourbon in February 1824, the Royal Navy brig-sloop, carrying 110 recaptured slaves, foundered off Mauritius with everyone aboard.
Why she is remembered Her loss took with her 110 people who had been freed from a slave ship, as well as her whole crew.
Sources differ The Wikipedia list carries two entries for her, dated 22 February 1824 (with the loss of all 75 crew and 110 recaptured slaves) and 23 February 1824.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Governor Brisbane Storm
23 February 1824 · Port Louis, Mauritius
The ship Brig, United Kingdom
The brig driven ashore and wrecked at Port Louis, Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Jean Bart Storm
25 February 1824 · Île Bourbon (Réunion)
The ship Ship, France
Lives lost None; crew rescued
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Île Bourbon in the February 1824 storm; her crew were rescued.
Why she is remembered One of four French ships wrecked on Île Bourbon on 25 February 1824 in the same storm that devastated Port Louis.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Magicienne Storm
25 February 1824 · Île Bourbon (Réunion)
The ship Ship, France
Lives lost None; crew rescued
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Île Bourbon in the February 1824 storm; her crew were rescued.
Why she is remembered One of four French ships wrecked on Île Bourbon on 25 February 1824 in the same storm that devastated Port Louis.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Peace Storm
23 February 1824 · Port Louis, Mauritius
The ship Lugger, United Kingdom
The lugger wrecked at Port Louis, Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Scythe Storm
23 February 1824 · Mauritius
The ship Brig, France
The brig driven ashore and wrecked at Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Sylph Storm
25 February 1824 · Île Bourbon (Réunion)
The ship Ship, France
Lives lost None; crew rescued
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Île Bourbon in the February 1824 storm; her crew were rescued.
Why she is remembered One of four French ships wrecked on Île Bourbon on 25 February 1824 in the same storm that devastated Port Louis.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Tippoo Sain Storm
25 February 1824 · Île Bourbon (Réunion)
The ship Ship, France
Lives lost None; crew rescued
She was driven ashore and wrecked on Île Bourbon in the February 1824 storm; her crew were rescued.
Why she is remembered One of four French ships wrecked on Île Bourbon on 25 February 1824 in the same storm that devastated Port Louis.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Young Olympe Storm
23 February 1824 · Port Louis harbour, Mauritius
The ship Brig, United Kingdom
The brig sank at Port Louis harbour, Mauritius in the storm of 23 February 1824, one of some thirty vessels listed as driven ashore or lost at Mauritius that day.
Why she is remembered A casualty of the storm of 23 February 1824, which drove some thirty vessels ashore or under at Mauritius in a single day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Britannia Reef and rocks
1833 (date unknown) · Reef off Amber Island (Île d'Ambre), north-east Mauritius
The ship Ship, United Kingdom
Lives lost None; all on board rescued
She was wrecked on a reef off Amber Island; all on board were rescued.
Why she is remembered A loss on the reefs of Île d'Ambre, north-east Mauritius, without loss of life.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Deux Marie Other causes
1833 (date unknown) · Île Bourbon (Réunion)
The ship Ship, France
The ship was wrecked on Île Bourbon in 1833.
Why she is remembered One of the recorded nineteenth century wrecks of Réunion.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Samuel Brown Other causes
1833 (date unknown) · Mauritius
The ship Ship, United Kingdom
On a voyage from Bengal to London, she was wrecked at Mauritius.
Why she is remembered A loss on the Bengal to London route via Mauritius.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Letitia Reef and rocks
15 September 1845 · Frigate islet, St Brandon
The ship Sailing ship
Lives lost Captain Malcolm drowned
She ran aground on Frigate islet and her master, Captain Malcolm, drowned.
Why she is remembered One of a cluster of nineteenth century losses on Frigate island.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Indian Reef and rocks
1850 · St Brandon shoals
The ship Sailing vessel
She sank on the St Brandon shoals; little is on record about the loss.
Why she is remembered One of the many little documented losses on the atoll.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Mary Reef and rocks
16 November 1850 · Frigate island, St Brandon
The ship Barque
The barque foundered on Frigate island.
Why she is remembered One of a cluster of nineteenth century losses on Frigate island.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Birkenhead Reef and rocks
26 February 1852 · Danger Point near Gansbaai, Western Cape, South Africa (34°38'42“S 19°17'9”E)
The ship Iron paddle steam frigate, later troopship, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built John Laird, Birkenhead; launched 30 December 1845
Size 210 ft (64 m); 1,918 tons displacement
Aboard About 630 to 643 people, troops of ten regiments, families and crew
Lives lost About 450
Steaming at 8 knots in calm seas, the iron troopship struck an uncharted rock and sank within about twenty minutes. Soldiers stood fast so that women and children could board the few lifeboats; many drowned or were taken by sharks.
Why she is remembered One of the earliest known cases of 'women and children first'; the 'Birkenhead drill' became a byword for courage, notably in Kipling's 1893 poem.
The wreck today At about 30 m; a war grave protected by a 1989 British and South African agreement. Rumours of £240,000 in gold drew many salvage attempts. Danger Point lighthouse (1895) bears a 1936 remembrance plaque.
Sources differ Number aboard given as 630 and as 643, uncertain because the muster rolls were lost; survivors about 193.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain
Cornwall Reef and rocks
14 to 15 July 1858 · Pointe aux Canonniers, north-west Mauritius
The ship East India Company transport, later merchant ship, Great Britain
Built Mathew Smith, Howrah, Calcutta, launched 3 July 1810
Size 798 to 872 tons burthen, 139 ft overall, beam 36 ft 10 in
After nearly fifty years of service, she was wrecked at Pointe aux Canonniers while on passage from Madras to Mauritius.
Why she is remembered She had served as a transport in the British expeditions that took Île Bourbon (Réunion) and Île de France (Mauritius) in 1810, and ended her career on the island she helped capture.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Nasser Sultan Reef and rocks
5 January 1860 · Northern reefs of Rodrigues
Aboard 46 men
Lives lost None; all 46 saved
She was lost on the northern reefs of Rodrigues; all 46 men aboard were saved.
Why she is remembered One of the recorded nineteenth century losses on the Rodrigues reef.
Sources iocp.potomitan.info
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Hammersmith Storm
3 January 1868 · Mauritius
The ship Barque, United Kingdom
Lives lost 3 crew
The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Mauritius with the loss of three of her crew, one of six ships lost or driven ashore on the island that day.
Why she is remembered The only one of six ships lost or driven ashore at Mauritius that day with recorded deaths.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
Incomparable Storm
3 January 1868 · Mauritius
The ship Full-rigged ship, France
The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Mauritius on 3 January 1868.
Why she is remembered One of six ships lost or driven ashore at Mauritius that day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Mauritius Storm
11 March 1868 · Port Louis, Mauritius
The ship Steamship, United Kingdom
The steamship was driven ashore and wrecked at Port Louis during a cyclone.
Why she is remembered A steamer bearing the island's own name, lost in its capital's harbour.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Serica Storm
12 March 1868 · Indian Ocean, 300 nautical miles (560 km) south-west of Mauritius
The ship Ship, United Kingdom
Lives lost 4
She foundered in a storm 300 nautical miles south-west of Mauritius with the loss of four lives.
Why she is remembered One of several losses of the March 1868 cyclone season around Mauritius.
Sources differ The same Wikipedia list also has a ship named Serca foundering at the same position on 11 March 1868; this may be a duplicate entry for the same vessel.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Vigilant Storm
3 January 1868 · Mauritius
The ship Ship, United Kingdom
The ship was lost at Mauritius on 3 January 1868.
Why she is remembered One of six ships lost or driven ashore at Mauritius that day.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (P&O)
Carnatic Reef and rocks
12 September 1869 (struck the reef); broke up two days later · Sha'b Abu Nuhas reef near Shadwan Island, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea
The ship Steamship (P&O passenger and cargo), United Kingdom (P&O)
Built Samuda Brothers, Cubitt Town, London, 1862 to 1863
Size 1,776 GRT; 89.4 m
Aboard Passengers and crew
Lives lost 31
After grounding, Captain Jones judged her safe and kept passengers aboard. About 34 hours later water reached the boilers and, as the first boat was being loaded, she broke in half. Survivors reached Shadwan Island and were taken off by the P&O Sumatra.
Why she is remembered She carried £40,000 in gold; now a popular Red Sea wreck dive.
The wreck today Rediscovered in May 1984; a popular dive site.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
City of Venice Other causes
1871 · Rodrigues
The ship Sailing ship
Built 1867
A sailing ship built in 1867 and wrecked in 1871; Rodrigues historian Yann Von Arnim lists a City of Venice wrecked at Rodrigues in 1871.
Why she is remembered One of about 82 wrecks recorded around Rodrigues.
Sources differ The Wikipedia name page records a sailing ship City of Venice built 1867 and wrecked 1871 without giving the place; that this is the same ship as the Rodrigues wreck is likely but not confirmed.
Sources histoiresmauriciennes.com · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Dunraven Reef and rocks
22 April 1876 · Beacon Rock, Ras Muhammad, southern Sinai, Red Sea
The ship Steam and sail cargo ship, United Kingdom
Built C. Mitchell and Co, launched 14 December 1872
Size 1,600 GRT; 81.6 m x 9.8 m
Aboard Captain Care and 25 crew
Lives lost None
Through a navigational error she ran straight onto the reef. After 14 hours she broke free, capsized and sank; local fishermen rescued the crew. The Board of Trade suspended the captain's licence for a year.
Why she is remembered A favourite Red Sea wreck dive lying upside down on the reef.
The wreck today Rediscovered in 1977 (credited to a German oil company employee or to Sharm el-Sheikh divers including Howard Rosenstein), identified by porcelain bearing her name; lies inverted at about 25 m.
Sources differ Discoverer credited differently in sources.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Great Britain
Maria Reef and rocks
19 June 1881 · Îlot Fourneau, south-east coast of Mauritius
The ship Barque, Great Britain
Built 1869
Size 542 tons
Bound for Port Louis from Kakinada (Cocanada) with gram, ghee, oil and tobacco, she was wrecked at Îlot Fourneau.
Why she is remembered An Indian Ocean trader supplying Mauritius from India, now an underwater archaeological site.
The wreck today Surveyed in 2018 and 2019 by the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society: an anchor, part of an iron hull, ballast stones and a windlass with gear wheels.
Sources mmcs-ngo.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Clan Campbell Other causes
1882 · South of Mauritius near Baie du Cap
The ship Iron screw steamer, United Kingdom
An iron screw steamer lost off south Mauritius; part of her cargo was whisky.
Why she is remembered A 19th century steamship wreck of the south coast, remembered for its whisky cargo.
Sources globerovers.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Stanhope Reef and rocks
1883 · Southern reefs of Rodrigues
Carrying a cargo of teak logs, she was lost on the southern reefs of Rodrigues; all the teak was salvaged.
Why she is remembered One of the recorded nineteenth century losses on the Rodrigues reef.
Sources iocp.potomitan.info
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France
René Storm
6 September 1886 · Roadstead of Sainte-Marie, north coast of Réunion
The ship Three-masted sailing ship, France
Aboard Captain M. Lebreton and 13 crew
Lives lost None mentioned
Arrived from Pondicherry with spices and provisions, she unloaded at Sainte-Marie and weighed anchor at about 21:00 in a good breeze. A rising sea and torrential rain drove her onto the reef: the rudder broke, the masts went and she capsized to starboard. The crew sheltered at the stern overnight and were taken off next morning by the ship La Sendre.
Why she is remembered Part of the maritime heritage trail of Sainte-Marie, one of fifteen wrecks recorded along the town's coast.
The wreck today Remains still visible in the Sainte-Marie roadstead.
Sources ville-saintemarie.re
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · British India
Vaitarna (Vijli) Missing
8 November 1888 · Off the Kathiawar (Saurashtra) coast, Gujarat, near Madhavpur, Arabian Sea
The ship Passenger and cargo steamship, British India
Built Grangemouth Dockyard Co, Scotland; launched 27 June 1885
Size 292 GRT; 170.1 ft x 26.5 ft
Aboard About 746 (703 passengers and 43 crew), including thirteen wedding parties and students
Lives lost All aboard (more than 740)
Sailing from Mandvi to Bombay via Dwarka, she ran into the 1888 Arabian Sea cyclone and was never seen again. No bodies or wreckage were found.
Why she is remembered Called the 'Titanic of Gujarat' and 'Haji Kasam ni Vijli' after her electric lighting, she lives on in Gujarati folk songs and in Gunvantrai Acharya's 1954 novel.
The wreck today Never found.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · France (Nantes)
Ker Anna Reef and rocks
9 December 1894 · Coral reef at Pointe des Aigrettes, Réunion
The ship Three-masted sailing ship, France (Nantes)
Aboard 14
Lives lost 8
Having left Saint-Denis the evening before, she ran onto the coral at dawn.
Why she is remembered The eight victims lie in the cimetière marin of Saint-Paul.
Sources fr-academic.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Traveller Reef and rocks
1897 · Reef north-west of Port Mathurin, Rodrigues, after anchoring west of Grand Pâté
The ship Barque
Size 1,492 gross tons
Aboard 19 crew
Lives lost 9 died of fever (Java fever), including the captain, and 2 took their own lives
Carrying sugar from Java to Philadelphia with a crew stricken by fever, she anchored off Rodrigues west of Grand Pâté; her anchor failed in the night and she was wrecked on the reef north-west of Port Mathurin. The survivors were quarantined for three months on Île aux Sables (Sable Island).
Why she is remembered The best documented of the roughly 82 wrecks recorded around Rodrigues.
The wreck today Most of the sugar cargo was recovered, according to the IOCP history of Rodrigues.
Sources differ Von Arnim gives the destination as Philadelphia and 9 fever deaths plus 2 suicides; the IOCP history gives Delaware and says eleven died before reaching Rodrigues, adding that the islanders refused the ship entry.
Sources histoiresmauriciennes.com · iocp.potomitan.info
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · British India (Royal Indian Marine)
Warren Hastings Reef and rocks
14 January 1897 · Off the coast of Réunion near the village of Saint-Philippe
The ship Troopship of the Royal Indian Marine (RIMS), British India (Royal Indian Marine)
Built Launched 18 April 1893, Barrow Shipbuilding Company
Size 330 ft long, beam 49 ft 3 in, 5,000 long tons displacement
Aboard 1,244: 526 of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, 510 of the 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, 25 of the 2nd Middlesex Regiment, 20 women, 10 children and 253 crew
Lives lost 2 died during the evacuation
Steaming in heavy rain and fog, with her compass affected by magnetic disturbance, she ran about 8 miles off course and struck a rock off Réunion. Captain Holland ordered evacuation at 04:00; she listed heavily, the electric lights failed, but nearly everyone was brought ashore on ropes by 05:30. The troops were later carried on to Mauritius in the SS Lalpoora.
Why she is remembered Celebrated as a model of discipline in a shipwreck, the evacuation of over 1,200 people in darkness with only two deaths was praised in a Special Army Order; Captain Holland was court-martialled and reprimanded.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Zeta Storm
1906 · Rodrigues
She was lost in a gale at Rodrigues in 1906.
Why she is remembered One of the recorded early twentieth century losses at Rodrigues.
Sources iocp.potomitan.info
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Japan
Hitachi Maru War
7 November 1917 · Among the Cargados Carajos islands (St Brandon), north-east of Mauritius
The ship Cargo and passenger steamer (freighter), Japan
Built 1906
Size 6,557 GRT
Aboard Crew plus a large number of passengers, including many women
Lives lost 14 crew killed and 6 wounded when she was shelled before surrendering
The German armed merchant raider SMS Wolf captured her south of the Maldives on 26 September 1917 after shelling her. Wolf kept her for over a month, stripping her of silk, copper and coal, and then scuttled her with explosives at St Brandon.
Why she is remembered One of the most photographed captures of the First World War raider campaign; the Australian War Memorial holds photographs of her passengers in the boats and of her sinking.
Sources differ The Wikipedia name page gives 6 November 1917 for the scuttling; the Australian War Memorial and the SMS Wolf article give 7 November 1917.
Sources awm.gov.au · Wikipedia · saintbrandonconservation.org
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Hain Steamship Company)
Trevessa Storm
3 June 1923 (Sailors' Home Society) or 4 June 1923 (RNLI) · Indian Ocean, about 1,200 miles from the coast of Western Australia
The ship Cargo steamship, United Kingdom (Hain Steamship Company)
Aboard 44 crew
Lives lost 11 (ten from exposure in the boats, one shortly after reaching Mauritius)
Loaded with zinc concentrates from South Australia, she took in water through a damaged bulkhead in heavy gales and foundered. The crew escaped in two open lifeboats: Captain Cecil Foster's boat reached Rodrigues after about 1,556 miles, and Chief Officer James C. Stewart Smith's boat reached the south coast of Mauritius after about 1,747 miles.
Why she is remembered One of the great open-boat survival voyages; both officers received the Lloyd's Silver Medal for Saving Life at Sea and the captain's boat was later displayed in London and on Hove seafront.
The wreck today Never found (sank in the open ocean).
Sources differ Date of loss 3 June versus 4 June 1923. Survivors 33 (RNLI) versus 34 (Sailors' Home Society). Captain's boat voyage 23 days (RNLI) versus 22 days 19 hours (Sailors' Home). Second boat landed at Souillac (RNLI).
Sources lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org · sailorshome.mu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Wajao Storm
7 November 1933 · Agaléga (South Island according to Defimedia; North Island according to Chagos News)
The ship Steam cargo ship
Built 1903, Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack, Germany
Size 827 tonnes; 65.2 m by 9.3 m by 3.4 m
Owned by Rogers and operated by Agalega Ltd, which ran the coconut and copra plantations of the islands, the steamer supplied Agaléga from Mauritius. She was wrecked during a cyclone on 7 November 1933.
Why she is remembered A rare surviving visible wreck of the outer islands supply trade, still photographed by visitors to Agaléga.
The wreck today Wreck still visible; photographed on 1 March 2024.
Sources differ Defimedia places the wreck at South Island, Agaléga; Chagos News 26 says she ran aground at North Island.
Sources Defimedia · chagos-trust.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Mauritius
Labourdonnais Other causes
1934 · Mauritius
The ship Steam tug, Mauritius
Built 1924
A Mauritian steam tug in service from 1924 to 1934, whose wreck is under investigation.
Why she is remembered A twentieth century harbour craft now part of the Mauritian underwater heritage programme.
The wreck today Under investigation by the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society in 2025.
Sources mmcs-ngo.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Diego Reef and rocks
20 June 1935 · Eagle Island, Great Chagos Bank, Chagos Archipelago
The ship Three-masted barque
The supply barque of the Chagos plantation companies was wrecked on Eagle Island while carrying out a transfer of workers between the islands.
Why she is remembered Her loss marked the end of sail in the Chagos copra trade, the companies replacing their wrecked vessels with steamers.
Sources chagos-trust.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Australia (Royal Australian Navy)
HMAS Sydney War
Also known as Phaeton (ordered for the Royal Navy)
19 November 1941 · Indian Ocean off Western Australia, near Carnarvon; wreck about 26°S 111°E
The ship Modified Leander-class light cruiser, Australia (Royal Australian Navy)
Built Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne; launched 22 September 1934
Size 562 ft overall; 7,198 tons standard; eight 6-inch guns
Aboard 645
Lives lost All 645
Sydney closed on what appeared to be a Dutch merchant ship, which was the disguised German raider Kormoran. The raider opened fire at close range, wrecking the bridge, and a torpedo struck forward; both ships were mortally damaged and Sydney disappeared in the night.
Why she is remembered Lost with all hands and no survivors, her fate remained a mystery until the wreck was found in 2008. In 2021 DNA identified a body from a Carley float found near Christmas Island in 1942 as Able Seaman Thomas Welsby Clark.
The wreck today Located on 17 March 2008.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Green, Allan C., 1878-1954, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Kormoran Scuttled
Also known as Steiermark
19 November 1941 · Indian Ocean off Western Australia, 26°05'46“S 111°04'33”E
The ship Auxiliary cruiser (commerce raider), converted merchant ship, Germany (Kriegsmarine)
Built Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel; launched 15 September 1938
Size 8,736 GRT; 19,900 tons displacement; 164 m
Aboard 399
Lives lost 82
After the battle with HMAS Sydney left her burning and disabled, her crew scuttled her. 318 survivors were captured and held as prisoners of war.
Why she is remembered The disguised German raider that sank HMAS Sydney with all hands and was herself lost in the same action.
The wreck today Found on 12 March 2008 by David Mearns' search team at 2,560 m, in two sections 1,300 m apart.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Thistlegorm War
6 October 1941 · Safe Anchorage F, near Ras Muhammad, Red Sea, Egypt
The ship Cargo steamship, United Kingdom
Built J.L. Thompson and Sons, Sunderland; launched 9 April 1940
Size 4,898 GRT; 415.1 ft x 58.2 ft
Aboard 41 crew and 9 naval gunners
Lives lost 9 (four sailors and five DEMS gunners)
At anchor waiting to reach Suez, she was hit at 01.30 by two bombs from German Heinkel He 111 aircraft hunting a troopship; ammunition in hold 4 exploded and she sank. Survivors were rescued by HMS Carlisle.
Why she is remembered Her cargo of Bedford trucks, motorcycles, Bren carriers, rifles, aircraft parts and two LMS Stanier 8F locomotives makes her one of the world's most famous wreck dives.
The wreck today Found by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in the early 1950s, who raised a motorcycle, the captain's safe and the bell; relocated in the early 1990s. Lies at about 30 m; HEPCA installed mooring buoys in 2007.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Woodym555, edited by Fir0002, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Cornwall War
5 April 1942 · About 200 miles south-west of Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
The ship County-class heavy cruiser (Kent sub-class), United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Devonport Dockyard; launched 11 March 1926
Size 630 ft; 9,850 tons standard
Aboard Complement 784
Lives lost 424
During the Japanese Easter Sunday Raid, Aichi D3A dive bombers from three carriers sank Cornwall and her consort HMS Dorsetshire. Survivors spent about thirty hours in the water before rescue by HMS Enterprise and two destroyers.
Why she is remembered Part of the Indian Ocean raid of April 1942 that also sank HMS Hermes.
Sources differ The 1,122 survivors cited refer to both cruisers together.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Dorsetshire War
5 April 1942 · About 320 km (200 miles) south-west of Ceylon
The ship County-class heavy cruiser, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Portsmouth Dockyard; launched 29 January 1929
Size 632 ft 9 in (192.86 m); 66 ft beam; 10,035 long tons standard
Aboard About 653 to 710 (figures vary)
Caught with HMS Cornwall by dive bombers of the Japanese carrier force, she was hit by ten bombs in about eight minutes, a magazine exploded and she sank stern first. 1,122 of the 1,546 men of the two cruisers were rescued the next day.
Why she is remembered In May 1941 she had fired the torpedoes that struck the crippled battleship Bismarck in her final battle.
Sources differ Crew figure 653 to 710 depending on source; her death toll is usually given jointly with HMS Cornwall.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Photographer not identified, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
HMS Hermes War
9 April 1942 · Off Batticaloa, east coast of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), 7°35'28“N 82°05'55”E
The ship Aircraft carrier, the world's first ship designed as an aircraft carrier, United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Built Armstrong Whitworth, Walker on the Tyne; launched 11 September 1919
Size 600 ft; 70 ft 3 in beam; 10,850 long tons standard
Aboard About 566 crew (complement, excluding aircrew)
Lives lost 307 from Hermes, including Captain Richard F. J. Onslow; seven more aboard the escorting destroyer HMAS Vampire
Sailing south from Trincomalee without aircraft during the Japanese Indian Ocean raid, she was found by a reconnaissance plane and overwhelmed by at least 32 Aichi D3A dive bombers. Most survivors were picked up by the hospital ship Vita.
Why she is remembered The first purpose-designed aircraft carrier to be built, and one of the major losses of the April 1942 raid on Ceylon.
The wreck today Lies in the Bay of Bengal off Batticaloa at a depth reachable by divers and is frequently visited by divers as a maritime heritage site.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (British India Steam Navigation Co)
Tilawa War
23 November 1942 · Indian Ocean, near the Seychelles
The ship Passenger liner (troopship role), United Kingdom (British India Steam Navigation Co)
Built Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne, 1924
Size 10,006 GRT; 137.5 m
Aboard 732 passengers and 222 crew
Lives lost 280
Sailing from Bombay, she was torpedoed twice by Japanese submarine I-29. Survivors drifted for two days; 678 were picked up by HMS Birmingham and 4 by Carthage.
Why she is remembered Known as the 'Indian Titanic'; her silver cargo led to a UK Supreme Court ruling in favour of South Africa in May 2024.
The wreck today Located at about 2.5 km depth; Argentum Exploration recovered 2,364 silver bars in 2017.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Fort Franklin War
16 July 1943 · Indian Ocean south-east of Réunion
Aboard 55 crew
Lives lost 2
She was torpedoed and sunk south-east of Réunion by U-181; two of her 55 crew were lost.
Why she is remembered One of the ships sunk around the Mascarenes during U-181's patrol in mid-1943.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (China Navigation Company, London)
Hoihow War
2 July 1943 · Indian Ocean about 105 nautical miles (194 km) north-north-west of Mauritius, 19 deg 30 min S, 55 deg 30 min E
The ship Passenger ship, United Kingdom (China Navigation Company, London)
Built 1933, Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Company, Hong Kong
Size 2,798 GRT
Aboard 149: master William Mackensie Christie, 90 crew, 7 naval gunners and 47 passengers
Lives lost 145
Carrying food for the United Kingdom, she was followed out of Port Louis by U-181 under Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Lüth, hit by two torpedoes and sank by the bow. Only four people, three crew and one passenger, survived; they were picked up by SS Mormacswan and landed at Montevideo on 25 July 1943.
Why she is remembered Only four of the 149 people aboard survived; they were rescued by SS Mormacswan and landed at Montevideo.
Sources differ The Hoihow article gives 105 nautical miles north-north-west of Mauritius; the July 1943 shipwreck list gives 103 nautical miles north-west.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Umvuma War
7 August 1943 · Indian Ocean south-east of Port Louis, Mauritius, 20 deg 18 min S, 57 deg 14 min E
The ship Cargo ship, United Kingdom
Built 1914
Size 4,419 GRT
Aboard 111
Lives lost 22
She was torpedoed and sunk off Mauritius by U-181 with the loss of 22 of the 111 people aboard; the survivors were rescued by the Maurice.
Why she is remembered One of the ships sunk close to Mauritius by U-181 in 1943; her survivors were rescued by the Maurice.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom
Fort Stikine Explosion
14 April 1944 · Victoria Dock, Bombay, India (18°57'10“N 72°50'42”E)
The ship Fort ship (wartime cargo ship), United Kingdom
Built Prince Rupert Drydock and Shipyard, British Columbia; launched 31 July 1942
Size 7,142 GRT; 441 ft 5 in
Aboard Crew and stevedores
Lives lost 231 service and port personnel killed, 476 injured; civilian deaths in excess of 500
Carrying explosives and ammunition, she caught fire in No. 2 hold during unloading. Two explosions at 16.06 and 16.33 split her in two, sent a surge through the dock and destroyed or badly damaged 13 other ships. Sabotage was ruled out.
Why she is remembered The Bombay explosion, a major wartime accident that wrecked the docks and 13 other ships.
The wreck today Obliterated in the explosion.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (requisitioned)
Khedive Ismail War
Also known as Aconcagua (1922 to 1935)
12 February 1944 · One and a Half Degree Channel, south-west of the Maldives
The ship Passenger liner used as troopship, United Kingdom (requisitioned)
Built Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering, Greenock, 1922
Size 7,290 to 7,513 GRT; 422.8 ft
Aboard 1,511, including 19 Wrens, 53 nursing sisters and 9 FANY
Lives lost 1,297 (1,220 men and 77 women)
Japanese submarine I-27 hit her with two torpedoes and she sank in about three minutes. The escorts sank I-27, but depth charges killed many in the water.
Why she is remembered The largest loss of servicewomen in Commonwealth history and the third largest loss of life from Allied shipping in the Second World War.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · India (Indian Cooperative Steam Navigation Company)
Ramdas Storm
17 July 1947 · Near Gull Island (Kashyacha Khadak), about 5 miles from Colaba Point, Bombay
The ship Coastal passenger ferry (twin-screw steamer), India (Indian Cooperative Steam Navigation Company)
Built 1936
Size 406 tons
Aboard About 1,437 (figure as given)
Lives lost 724
Bound for Rewas in monsoon weather, she was struck on the starboard side by a large wave at about 8.05 am; passengers rushed to port and she capsized. Port authorities learned of it only when survivors reached Sassoon Docks that afternoon.
Why she is remembered Rewas and Alibag fishermen who rescued survivors were granted land and a jetty, founding the settlement of Bodni.
The wreck today Salvaged in 1951; remains resurfaced at Ballard Pier in 1957.
Sources differ Wikipedia gives about 1,437 aboard alongside a figure of 713 passengers and crew; about 713 survived and 724 died.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (British India Steam Navigation Co)
Dara Explosion
Explosion 8 April 1961; sank 10 April 1961 · Persian Gulf off Dubai
The ship Passenger and cargo ship (British India D class), United Kingdom (British India Steam Navigation Co)
Built Barclay, Curle and Co, Glasgow, 1948
Size 5,030 GRT; 398.7 ft
Aboard 819
Lives lost 238
While off Dubai in rough weather, an explosion on the port side of the engine casing jammed the steering, cut power and started fires. The Admiralty concluded it was an anti-tank mine placed by persons unknown.
Why she is remembered A heavy peacetime loss of life in the Gulf, attributed by the Admiralty to a mine placed by persons unknown.
The wreck today At 15 m off Dubai, a dive site.
Sources differ Cause: the Admiralty court attributed the loss to a planted mine, but there is no forensic proof of a bomb. Wikipedia gives 238 dead and also mentions 165 missing without saying whether these are included.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Djabeda Scuttled
1967 (DAN) · Off Coin de Mire island, north of Mauritius
The ship Vessel scuttled as an artificial reef
Intentionally sunk by local divers off Coin de Mire.
Why she is remembered A deep wreck dive for experienced divers with dense shoals of fusiliers and snappers.
The wreck today Average depth 24 m, from 20 m at the mast to 32 m at the keel (DAN); 30 m (PADI). Parts scattered on the sand.
Sources differ Depth: 20 to 32 m (DAN) versus 30 m (PADI).
Sources dansa.org · blog.padi.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Soviet Union
Argus Reef and rocks
3 October 1969 · Reef of St Brandon
The ship Tug, Soviet Union
Aboard 38
Lives lost None; 38 men rescued
The Soviet tug was wrecked on the St Brandon reef; all 38 men aboard were rescued.
Why she is remembered A Cold War era loss on the atoll.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · United Kingdom (Royal Fleet Auxiliary)
RFA Ennerdale Reef and rocks
Also known as Naess Scotsman
1 June 1970 · North of Mahé, Seychelles
The ship Dale-class mobile bulk tanker, United Kingdom (Royal Fleet Auxiliary)
Built Kieler Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel; launched 30 August 1963
Size 29,189 GRT; 710 ft; 98 ft 7 in beam; 62,000 tons displacement
Aboard Complement of 51
The tanker struck an uncharted pinnacle off Mahé and sank. Her hull broke during later salvage work.
Why she is remembered Described by the KOEK dive guide as the most significant Seychelles shipwreck by size, depth, integrity and marine life.
The wreck today Dive site at 18 to 35 m, 30 to 45 minutes by boat from Beau Vallon, covered in soft corals and sea fans.
Sources differ Length 710 ft (Wikipedia) versus 196 m (KOEK dive guide).
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Emily and Water Lily Scuttled
Early 1980s (1981 per DAN) · North-east coast of Mauritius
The ship Two fishing barges
Two barges purposely sunk side by side as artificial reefs.
Why she is remembered Showcase of fast soft coral growth on Mauritian wrecks.
The wreck today Dive site at about 25 m.
Sources blog.padi.com · dansa.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Panama
Sea Venture Other causes
16 November 1981 · Baie de Saint-Paul, west coast of Réunion, 40 to 45 m depth
The ship Cargo ship, Panama
Size 86 m long
Aboard 26 crew
Lives lost None; all 26 reached shore
While waiting at anchor in Saint-Paul Bay for a berth, she took on water, was destabilised by her cargo of timber for a local firm, and sank.
Why she is remembered A real accidental wreck that became one of Réunion's main deep dive sites.
The wreck today About 15 tonnes of diesel were pumped out in April 1998 after a leak in 1997 closed the site; it reopened to divers in September 2008.
Sources differ Depth given as 40 to 45 m (Paradise Plongée) and 40 to 49 m (Carte de La Réunion). Carte de La Réunion says the wreck is currently closed to divers because she is unstable.
Sources cartedelareunion.fr · paradise-plongee.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Tug II Scuttled
14 November 1981 · Off Flic en Flac, west coast of Mauritius, 20 m depth
The ship Harbour tug
Size 19 m by 4 m
After a long career guiding sugar cargo ships in Port Louis harbour, she was sunk as an artificial reef; the sinking was brought forward because of a cyclone warning.
Why she is remembered One of the first of the deliberately sunk dive wrecks of the Flic en Flac area.
The wreck today Dive site at about 20 m, open water level.
Sources diveseaurchin.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Kei Sei 113 Scuttled
11 October 1987 · Off Flic en Flac, west coast of Mauritius, about 35 to 36 m depth
The ship Fishing vessel, later a floating restaurant
Size 35 m by 6.55 m
Used as a floating restaurant, she was damaged at the stern by a cyclone; after two failed salvage attempts she was sunk as an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered Known to divers as the restaurant wreck.
The wreck today Deep dive site, home to lionfish and big-eye shoals.
Sources differ SeaUrchin gives 11 October 1987 and 36 m; Divingaway gives 1988, 35 m, and calls her a barge.
Sources diveseaurchin.com · divingaway.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Saint Gabriel Scuttled
10 May 1987 · Off Flic en Flac, west coast of Mauritius, 38 m depth
The ship Fishing vessel
Size 31.7 m by 6.2 m
Burnt out in 1986, she was sunk as an artificial reef in May 1987; a strong current carried her past the planned 28 m site into 38 m of water.
Why she is remembered Part of the group of artificial reef wrecks off Flic en Flac.
The wreck today Deep dive site at 38 m.
Sources diveseaurchin.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Japan (origin)
Stella Maru Scuttled
1987 · Off Trou aux Biches, north-west Mauritius (-19.9982, 57.4301)
The ship Japanese fishing trawler (one source: freighter), Japan (origin)
Size 52 m long (PADI); roughly 50 m (Diving Mauritius)
Deliberately sunk in 1987 by the Mauritius Conservation Society (as named by PADI and DAN) as an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered One of Mauritius's best-known wreck dives, almost intact and covered in coral, with morays, scorpionfish and frogfish.
The wreck today Dive site at 18 to 25 m.
Sources differ Type: Japanese trawler (PADI, DAN) versus Japanese freighter (divingmauritius.mu). Length 52 m versus about 50 m.
Sources blog.padi.com · dansa.org · divingmauritius.mu
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Greece (Piraeus)
Oceanos Other causes
Also known as Jean Laborde, Mykinai, Ancona, Eastern Princess
4 August 1991 · About 5 km off Coffee Bay, Wild Coast, South Africa
The ship Cruise ship, Greece (Piraeus)
Built Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde, Bordeaux, France, 1953
Size 14,000 GT; 153 m
Aboard 571 people
Lives lost None; all rescued
In heavy seas a burst ventilation pipe in the engine room flooded the ship, whose non-return valves had not been refitted. Captain Yiannis Avranas and some crew left early; entertainers including guitarist Moss Hills sent the mayday and organised the evacuation, and South African Air Force helicopters lifted people off before she sank.
Why she is remembered A celebrated rescue in which nobody died despite the crew's conduct; the captain and five officers were found negligent. Subject of documentaries including Nova 'Why Ships Sink' (2012).
The wreck today Lies at 92 to 97 m in strong currents.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Peter J. Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
L'Orient Scuttled
28 October 1992 · Off Flic en Flac, west coast of Mauritius, 45 m depth
The ship Fishing vessel
Size 26 m by 6 m
Sunk as an artificial reef in 1992; two later cyclones rolled her onto her side.
Why she is remembered One of the deep technical dive wrecks of the west coast.
The wreck today Lies on her side at 45 m.
Sources diveseaurchin.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Russia (Maritime State University, Vladivostok)
Admiral Nevelskoi Other causes
Found drifting in 1997 · Off Rodrigues; hull brought ashore on the island
The ship Yacht (expedition vessel), Russia (Maritime State University, Vladivostok)
The hull of the expedition yacht of the Maritime State University in Vladivostok was found drifting off Rodrigues in 1997 and brought ashore.
Why she is remembered An unusual derelict on Rodrigues; in 2010 there were plans to restore it as a private museum.
The wreck today Hull ashore on Rodrigues; museum plans reported in 2010.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Antonio Lorenzo Scuttled
16 December 1999 · Pointe des Châteaux, Saint-Leu, west coast of Réunion, 38 to 40 m depth
The ship Longline fishing vessel (seized illegal fishing boat)
Size Over 50 m long
A pirate longliner, she was cleaned of pollutants, towed from the port of Pointe des Galets and sunk off Saint-Leu as an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered Réunion's best known artificial reef wreck, the subject of a 3D survey model.
The wreck today Lies on her port side at 38 to 40 m with open holds; dive site for level 2 divers.
Sources cartedelareunion.fr
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Hoi Siong No. 6 Scuttled
2003 · Off Le Morne, south-west Mauritius; dive site at about 20 deg 25.361 min S, 57 deg 17.691 min E, average depth 18 m, maximum 29 m
She was sunk intentionally in 2003 off Le Morne to form an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered Regarded by divers as one of the best artificial reefs of Mauritius and the main wreck dive of the Le Morne area.
The wreck today Dive site, short boat ride, average depth 18 m and maximum 29 m.
Sources wannadive.net · mauritiusexplored.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Egypt
al-Salam Boccaccio 98 Fire
Also known as Boccaccio
3 February 2006 · Red Sea, between Duba (Saudi Arabia) and Safaga (Egypt)
The ship Ro-ro passenger ferry, Egypt
Built Italcantieri, Monfalcone, Italy, 1970
Size 11,799 GT; 130.99 m
Aboard About 1,312 passengers and 96 crew
Lives lost Around 1,000 (figures vary)
A fire broke out in the engine room; the voyage continued, and water used to fight the fire collected in the hull because drainage pumps failed, and she capsized. 388 were rescued.
Why she is remembered Around 1,000 deaths; owner Mamdouh Ismail was eventually sentenced to seven years.
The wreck today Remains on the Red Sea floor; no recovery attempted.
Sources differ Passenger and crew counts vary between sources, and the death toll is given only as around 1,000.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Carlo Martinelli, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Team Vestas Wind Reef and rocks
29 November 2014 (grounded at night) · Reef of St Brandon (Cargados Carajos), north-east of Mauritius
The ship Volvo Ocean 65 racing yacht
Aboard Racing crew (about 11 listed for the race)
Lives lost None
About ten days out of Cape Town on the second leg of the 2014 to 2015 Volvo Ocean Race to Abu Dhabi, she ran onto the St Brandon reef at night. The inquiry blamed human error together with navigation software that did not show the atoll at low or medium zoom on the route planning display.
Why she is remembered The best known modern grounding at St Brandon; the inquiry made it a case study in the risks of electronic chart display.
The wreck today Salvaged, rebuilt and raced again in the last two legs; the Wikipedia article on the boat now appears under her later name, Turn the Tide on Plastic.
Sources differ The St Brandon article gives 29 November 2014; the Turn the Tide on Plastic article gives 30 November 2014.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Tian Xiang Scuttled
14 June 2014 · Off Flic en Flac, west coast of Mauritius, 46 m depth
The ship Fishing vessel
Sunk deliberately in June 2014, she is the newest and largest of the west coast artificial reef wrecks.
Why she is remembered The deepest wreck regularly dived off Flic en Flac.
The wreck today Dive site at 46 m.
Sources diveseaurchin.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Malaysia
Kha Yang Reef and rocks
31 January to 1 February 2015 · Reef of St Brandon
The ship Longline fishing vessel, Malaysia
Aboard 20
Lives lost None; 20 rescued
The longliner ran aground on the St Brandon reef with about 250,000 litres of fuel in her tanks; her 20 crew were rescued.
Why she is remembered Raised fears of fuel pollution in one of Mauritius's most pristine lagoons.
The wreck today Remained on the reef according to the St Brandon Conservation Trust.
Sources differ The St Brandon Conservation Trust gives 31 January 2015; Wikipedia gives 1 February 2015.
Sources Wikipedia · saintbrandonconservation.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Liberia
Benita Other causes
17 June 2016 (grounded) · Outer reef of Îlot Brocus, Le Bouchon, south-east coast of Mauritius
The ship Bulk carrier, Liberia
Built 1998
Size About 182 m long, 31 m wide
Lives lost None stated; one crew member seriously injured
On passage from Paradip, India, she ran aground after a fight among the crew; one man was seriously injured and the chief engineer was arrested by the Mauritian authorities. A national committee organised the removal of more than 200 cubic metres of contaminated fuel and lubricating oil, and a basalt rock lodged in hold No. 5 complicated the salvage.
Why she is remembered A rare grounding caused by a brawl on board, and a precursor to the Wakashio disaster on the same south-east coast four years later.
The wreck today Refloated in late July 2016 and towed away for demolition in India.
Sources differ VesselFinder gives her destination as Durban; GlobeRovers gives Port Elizabeth.
Sources marine-salvage.com · shipandbunker.com · globerovers.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Alam Manis Reef and rocks
2 February 2017 (grounded) · St Brandon (Cargados Carajos)
The ship Bulk carrier
On passage from Richards Bay to Pipavav she ran aground at St Brandon.
Why she is remembered A large modern merchant ship grounding on the atoll.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Mauritius (Mauritius Ports Authority)
Sir Gaëtan Duval Collision
31 August 2020 (night) · Off the south-east coast of Mauritius, near the wreck of the Wakashio
The ship Harbour tug, Mauritius (Mauritius Ports Authority)
Aboard 8 crew
Lives lost 3 confirmed dead and 1 missing according to Maritime Executive; first reports gave 2 dead and 2 missing; 4 rescued from a lifeboat
The Mauritius Ports Authority tug was towing the empty barge L'Ami Constant, to be stationed near the wrecked Wakashio in case more oil needed pumping, when she was caught in rough seas. The barge struck the tug, holing her hull, and she sank; the barge was later found adrift and intact.
Why she is remembered Her loss during the Wakashio clean-up added a human toll to the oil spill disaster.
The wreck today Sank; no oil leak was detected from the tug.
Sources differ Marine Log reported 2 dead and 2 missing; Maritime Executive reported 3 dead and 1 missing.
Sources maritime-executive.com · marinelog.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Panama (Japanese-controlled)
Wakashio Reef and rocks
Grounded 25 July 2020 · Coral reef off the southern coast of Mauritius
The ship Capesize bulk carrier, Panama (Japanese-controlled)
Built Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Tsu, Mie, Japan; launched 9 March 2007
Size 299.95 m long, 50 m beam, 203,000 tonnes deadweight
Aboard 20 crew
Lives lost No injuries aboard; three crew of the tug Sir Gaëtan Duval died when it sank on 31 August 2020 during the response
The ship sailed close inshore, reportedly to pick up a mobile signal during a crew birthday, and failed to respond to warnings before grounding on the reef. About 1,000 tonnes of oil escaped and the hull broke in two.
Why she is remembered Called the worst environmental disaster Mauritius had seen, it prompted mass protests; Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar was sentenced on 27 December 2021 to 20 months in prison.
The wreck today The bow section was towed out and scuttled on 24 August 2020; the stern was cut up on site by a Chinese salvage firm from December 2020.
Sources Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Mauritius (Hassen Taher company)
Sea Master Reef and rocks
5 June 2021 · Albatross Island, St Brandon
The ship Fishing vessel, Mauritius (Hassen Taher company)
The Mauritian fishing vessel was wrecked on Albatross Island.
Why she is remembered A recent loss in the St Brandon group.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Mauritius
Tresta Star Storm
3 February 2022, about 20:55 · Le Tremblet, Saint-Philippe, at the foot of the volcano, Réunion (French Indian Ocean)
The ship Bunker tanker (oil products supply vessel), Mauritius
Built 2019; IMO 9869629
Size 74 m long, 16 m (16.02 m) beam; 2,924 t DWT
Aboard 11 crew
Lives lost None; all 11 crew saved
Owned by Tresta Trading of Mauritius, she was sailing empty when her propulsion failed while she was fleeing Cyclone Batsirai, and she was swept onto the lava coast of Réunion. In very rough seas the crew were evacuated on 4 February by GRIMP firefighters using a zip line, in an operation coordinated by CROSS and the French Navy.
Why she is remembered A rare modern wreck on Réunion's wild south-east coast, abandoned where she lies because every removal option was judged too costly, dangerous or environmentally harmful.
The wreck today A salvage attempt was abandoned when the contractor was not paid; in December 2022 the Préfet of Réunion decided no further removal would be attempted and the wreck would be left for the sea to break up. Still in place and deteriorating as of 2025, with some leaks of oily water recorded.
Sources differ Grounding date 3 February 2022 (abandonedin360) or 4 February 2022 (L'Express, Mauritius). Decision date 7 December (Cedre) versus 12 December 2022 (gCaptain article date). Grounding place given as Quai de sel, Saint-Philippe (Cedre), Pointe du Tremblet (gCaptain) or Tremblet (Le Matinal).
Sources cedre.fr · gcaptain.com · english.lematinal.media · abandonedin360.com · l'Express
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
Yu Feng 67 Reef and rocks
5 December 2022 · Off L'Île du Sud, St Brandon
The ship Fishing vessel, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
Aboard 20 crew (19 according to the Conservation Trust)
Lives lost None; crew saved by Raphael Fishing Company vessels
She ran aground off L'Île du Sud with about 70 tonnes of diesel and 208 litres of lubricants aboard. Diesel and some twenty tonnes of rotting bait fish gradually flowed into the lagoon.
Why she is remembered The worst recent pollution incident at St Brandon and a driver of conservation efforts there.
The wreck today Still on the reef, listed about 20 degrees to the west as of 29 December 2022.
Sources differ Wikipedia says twenty crew were saved; the Conservation Trust page refers to 14 of 19 sailors of the Yu Feng 67 leaving the country.
Sources Wikipedia · saintbrandonconservation.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · Taiwan
Lien Sheng Fa Storm
20 February 2023 · Hundreds of kilometres north-east of Mauritius
The ship Fishing trawler, Taiwan
Aboard 16 crew
Lives lost 16 crew missing
The trawler went missing during Cyclone Freddy at about 04:00 on 20 February 2023 and was found capsized on 23 February with none of her 16 crew.
Why she is remembered A cyclone loss with her whole crew missing, during Cyclone Freddy.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Diolinda Reef and rocks
Date not recorded · Coast of Agaléga
The ship Supply sailing vessel
A sailing supply vessel of the outer islands trade, she was wrecked on the coast of Agaléga.
Why she is remembered Part of the history of the island supply ships that linked Mauritius with Agaléga and the Chagos.
Sources chagos-trust.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Hai Siang Scuttled
1980s · About 3 km off Les Aigrettes, opposite Cap Homard, west coast of Réunion 54 m depth
The ship Taiwanese lobster fishing boat
Size 49 m long
She was deliberately sunk in the 1980s and rests upright on sand.
Why she is remembered A deep dive wreck of Réunion's west coast.
The wreck today Upright on white sand at 54 m with both masts standing; the funnel has collapsed; level 3 dive with strong currents.
Sources cartedelareunion.fr · dodopalme.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius · England
Hawk Reef and rocks
1780s · St Brandon (Cargados Carajos)
The ship Ship, England
Homeward bound for Europe from Surat, she foundered on St Brandon.
Why she is remembered An eighteenth century loss on the shoals that lay across the route from India.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Jane Bell Storm
· Rodrigues
She was wrecked at Rodrigues by a severe cyclone.
Why she is remembered One of the recorded cyclone losses at Rodrigues.
Sources iocp.potomitan.info
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
The Indian Ocean and Mauritius
Silver Star Scuttled
· Five minutes by boat from Pereybère, north Mauritius
The ship Large vessel scuttled as artificial reef
Size Described as a huge wreck
Deliberately sunk by the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association away from the reefs.
Why she is remembered Deep wreck with an intact propeller and shoals of spadefish and batfish.
The wreck today Dive site from 28 to 39 m, propeller at about 40 m.
Sources dansa.org
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Greek
Kyrenia ship Other causes
c. 294 BC or sometime after · About one nautical mile north-east of Kyrenia harbour, Cyprus, at 33 m
The ship Ancient Greek merchant ship, Greek
Built 4th century BC
Size Almost 14.7 by 4.4 m
Aboard Thought to have had a crew of four (captain and three sailors)
An already old merchant ship sank off Kyrenia carrying 381 amphoras of wine, olive oil and almonds, 29 millstones and iron billets. The source does not state a definite cause.
Why she is remembered A 4th century BC Greek merchant ship found with her cargo; replicas Kyrenia II (1985), Kyrenia III (1988) and Kyrenia Liberty (2002) have been built.
The wreck today Found in November 1965 by diving instructor Andreas Cariolou and rediscovered in 1967; excavated 1967 to 1969 under Michael Katzev. Displayed in the Ancient Shipwreck Museum in Kyrenia Castle.
Sources differ Sinking given as about 294 BC and as between 294 and 291 BC.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Viking Age Norway
Oseberg ship Never lost at sea
Buried in autumn 834 (dendrochronology) · Burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg, Vestfold, Norway
The ship Viking longship (probably a karve), clinker built almost entirely of oak, used as a burial ship, Viking Age Norway
Built Parts date from as early as 800
Size 21.58 m long, 5.10 m beam, mast about 9 to 10 m; 15 pairs of oar holes for up to 30 rowers
Aboard Two female skeletons were found in the grave
Not a wreck: the ship was hauled ashore and buried in a mound as the grave of two women of very high status, with rich grave goods.
Why she is remembered Commonly acknowledged to be among the finest artefacts to survive from the Viking Age.
The wreck today Excavated 1904 to 1905 by Gabriel Gustafson and Haakon Shetelig; displayed at the Viking Ship Museum, Bygdøy, Oslo.
Sources differ The second woman was first estimated at 25 to 30 years old, later 50 to 55.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Viking Age Norway, Ireland and Denmark
Skuldelev ships (Skuldelev 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) Scuttled
Around 1070 · Roskilde Fjord, Denmark
The ship Viking ships: seagoing cargo ship (knarr), longship warship, small cargo ship, snekkja warship, fishing or ferry boat, Viking Age Norway, Ireland and Denmark
Built Skuldelev 1 about 1030, Sognefjord, Norway; Skuldelev 2 about 1042, Dublin area; Skuldelev 3 about 1040, Denmark; Skuldelev 5 about 1030, Roskilde area; Skuldelev 6 about 1030, Sognefjord
Size Skuldelev 1: 16 by 4.8 m; Skuldelev 2: about 30 by 3.8 m (crew 70 to 80); Skuldelev 3: 14 by 3.3 m; Skuldelev 5: 17.3 by 2.5 m; Skuldelev 6: 11.2 by 2.5 m
Five ships were deliberately sunk in Roskilde Fjord as an early form of blockship, to block a navigable channel against seaborne attack.
Why she is remembered They give the clearest picture of the range of Viking ship types, and the museum has built sailing reconstructions of all five.
The wreck today Salvaged 1957 to 1962 by the Danish National Museum; exhibited at the Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde.
Sources differ First counted as six ships until Skuldelev 2 and 4 were found to be one ship.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · China (Southern Song dynasty)
Nanhai One Storm
Southern Song dynasty (1127 to 1279) · South China Sea
The ship Cargo ship, China (Southern Song dynasty)
Built Southern Song dynasty, 1127 to 1279
Size 30.4 m
A Song dynasty trading ship sank on the Maritime Silk Road with a cargo now estimated at 60,000 to 80,000 items, including porcelain, coins, about 130 kg of silver bars and a gold waist chain.
Why she is remembered Described as the biggest ship of its kind found and the first ancient vessel discovered on the Maritime Silk Road.
The wreck today Found in 1987 by Maritime Exploration & Recoveries PLC of Southampton in a joint venture with the Guangzhou branch of the Chinese Salvage Company; raised in 2007 and housed in the 'Crystal Palace', a pool about 12 m deep in the purpose-built Maritime Silk Route Museum, Guangdong, where visitors watch the excavation continue through windows.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Hanseatic (Bremen)
Bremen cog Storm
About 1380 · River Weser, Bremen, Germany
The ship Cog, Hanseatic (Bremen)
Built About 1380 (dendrochronology), Bremen
Size 24 m long, 8 m beam, sides just over 4 m high; load capacity estimated at 130 tons (other estimates 90 tons)
The cog appears to have drifted away from the shipyard during a storm flood before she was finished and sank in the Weser.
Why she is remembered A medieval cog of about 1380, recovered and conserved after almost six centuries in the Weser.
The wreck today Found on 8 October 1962 during dredging. Impregnated with polyethylene glycol for 18 years; displayed at the German Maritime Museum, Bremerhaven, since 2000.
Sources differ Cargo capacity estimates range from 90 to 130 tons.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · England
Mary Rose War
19 July 1545 · Off Spithead, the Solent, England
The ship Carrack, warship, England
Built Laid down 29 January 1510, launched July 1511, completed 1512, Portsmouth
Size Keel about 32 m, moulded breadth about 12 m; 500 tons burthen, 700 to 800 tons after 1536 rebuilding
Aboard Crew of at least 400 (typical wartime complement 185 soldiers, 200 sailors, 20 to 30 gunners plus specialists)
Lives lost Fewer than 35 escaped, a casualty rate of over 90%
The carrack sank in the Solent during an engagement with French galleys. The most widely held theory is that a strong gust of wind hit the sails at a critical moment and water flooded in through the open gunports, causing her to founder quickly.
Why she is remembered A Tudor warship raised from the Solent in 1982 and displayed with the artefacts recovered from her.
The wreck today Located in 1971 and raised by the Mary Rose Trust on 11 October 1982. Displayed with thousands of artefacts in the Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Sources differ Cause disputed: wind and open gunports, instability after modifications, or (one French claim) French gunfire. Lost during a battle though not clearly by enemy action.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Sweden
Vasa Other causes
10 August 1628 · Stockholm harbour, Sweden (59°19′40″N 18°05′28″E)
The ship Warship with two gundecks, 64 guns, Sweden
Built Laid down 1626, launched March 1627, Stockholm navy yard, built under contract by Henrik Hybertsson and Arendt de Groote
Size About 69 m overall (estimated), 47.5 m between perpendiculars, beam 11.7 m, 1,210 tonnes displacement; 64 guns including 48 twenty-four-pounders
Aboard Complement 145 sailors and 300 soldiers (full complement)
Lives lost About 30 people reportedly perished
On her maiden voyage Vasa heeled suddenly to port when strong gusts caught her sails. Water poured in through the open lower gunports and she sank in Stockholm harbour within sight of the city. The cause was structural instability.
Why she is remembered A warship that capsized minutes into her maiden voyage, raised almost intact after 333 years; the Vasa Museum has received over 45 million visitors between 1961 and early 2025.
The wreck today Located in 1956 by Anders Franzén using a home-made coring probe; raised on 24 April 1961 after 333 years. Displayed in the Vasa Museum, Stockholm (opened 1990).
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · France
La Belle Storm
1686 · Matagorda Bay, Texas, USA, about 400 m from shore
The ship Barque longue, France
Built 1684, France, built by Honoré Mallet in under two months
Size 54 ft 4 in (16.56 m) long, 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m) beam, 40 to 45 tons
Aboard 27 sailors plus expedition members
Lives lost Of the 27 people originally assigned to her, six survived
One of the ships of La Salle's expedition to found a French colony on the Gulf of Mexico, she was driven aground in Matagorda Bay by a cold front while her inexperienced crew could not stop her drifting.
Why she is remembered A ship of René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle's expedition, owned by King Louis XIV.
The wreck today Found on 5 July 1995 by a Texas Historical Commission team led by Barto Arnold; excavated inside a steel cofferdam July 1996 to May 1997. Hull and artefacts displayed at the Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · France, then pirate (Blackbeard)
Queen Anne's Revenge Other causes
Also known as La Concorde
10 June 1718 · Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, USA, about one mile offshore
The ship Frigate (slave ship, then pirate flagship), France, then pirate (Blackbeard)
Built c. 1710, French shipwrights
Size 200 tons burthen; 40 guns alleged, 30 found
Aboard Up to 300 in Blackbeard's service
Captured by Blackbeard near Martinique on 28 November 1717 and made his flagship, she ran aground at Beaufort Inlet in June 1718.
Why she is remembered Blackbeard's flagship.
The wreck today Found by Intersal Inc. on 21 November 1996 in 28 ft (8.5 m) of water. Artefacts in North Carolina collections, with loans to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and the Musée national de la Marine, Paris. Recovery paused after 2015 amid lawsuits between Intersal and North Carolina.
Sources differ Guns: 30 found versus 40 alleged.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Joseph Nicholls, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
Arabia Other causes
5 September 1856 · Quindaro Bend, near Parkville, Missouri River (now Kansas City, Kansas)
The ship Side-wheel steamboat, United States
Built 1853, Brownsville, Pennsylvania (Monongahela River)
Lives lost Only a mule tied below deck died
Arabia struck a submerged sycamore snag and sank in the Missouri River.
Why she is remembered Her recovered cargo of 1850s goods, thousands of artefacts, forms the Arabia Steamboat Museum.
The wreck today Located in 1987 and excavated from 13 November 1988 by Bob Hawley and his sons Greg and David with Jerry Mackey and David Luttrell. Thousands of artefacts shown in the Arabia Steamboat Museum, Kansas City.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States (Union Navy)
USS Cairo War
12 December 1862 · Yazoo River, Mississippi, USA
The ship City-class ironclad river gunboat, United States (Union Navy)
Built 1861, James Eads and Company, Mound City, Illinois
Size 175 ft (53.3 m), 512 tons; 13 guns (Nov 1862)
Lives lost No casualties
While clearing the Yazoo River of obstructions, Cairo struck a 'torpedo' (naval mine) detonated by volunteers hidden behind the river bank and sank in 12 minutes without loss of life.
Why she is remembered A Union ironclad gunboat raised and displayed with her artefacts at Vicksburg.
The wreck today Found in 1956 by Edwin C. Bearss with Don Jacks and Warren Grabau; raised in 1964. Displayed at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi, with an artefact museum.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Civil War Glass Negatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Confederate States
H. L. Hunley War
17 February 1864 · Off Charleston, South Carolina, USA
The ship Hand-powered submarine, Confederate States
Built 1863, built by James McClintock; launched July 1863
Size Length 39.5 ft (12.0 m), beam 3.83 ft (1.17 m)
Aboard Crew of 8
Lives lost All 8 lost on 17 February 1864; 21 crew died in total across three sinkings (5 on 29 August 1863, all 8 including Horace Hunley on 15 October 1863, 8 in 1864)
Hunley rammed her spar torpedo into the Union sloop USS Housatonic, which sank in three minutes with five of her crew killed. Hunley herself never returned. She had already sunk twice in trials.
Why she is remembered The first combat submarine to sink a warship, although she was not completely submerged and was lost with her crew after the attack.
The wreck today Located in April 1995 by a NUMA team led by Ralph Wilbanks (archaeologist E. Lee Spence claimed a 1970 discovery). Raised on 8 August 2000; under conservation at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, North Charleston.
Sources differ Discovery credit is disputed between NUMA and Wilbanks (1995) and E. Lee Spence, who claims a 1970 discovery.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Conrad Wise Chapman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United Kingdom
RMS Rhone Storm
29 October 1867 · Off Salt Island near Peter Island, British Virgin Islands
The ship Passenger liner (steamship), United Kingdom
Built Launched 11 February 1865, Millwall Iron Works
Size 310 ft (94 m); 2,738 GRT
Aboard About 145 crew and passengers
Lives lost Only 25 survived
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's Rhone was caught by the San Narciso hurricane; Captain Woolley tried to escape to the shelter of the open sea, but she was wrecked off Salt Island, broke in two, and her boilers exploded when cold seawater reached them.
Why she is remembered Cited as one of the top recreational wreck dives in the Caribbean; her wreckage featured in the 1977 film The Deep.
The wreck today Bow in about 24 m, stern in about 9 m, maximum 26 m. The area became the RMS Rhone National Park in 1980.
Sources differ About 145 were aboard and 25 survived; the death toll is not given directly.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Australia
SS Yongala Storm
23 to 24 March 1911 · 12 nautical miles east of Cape Bowling Green, 48 nautical miles south-east of Townsville, Queensland, Australia
The ship Passenger and cargo steamship, Australia
Built Launched 29 April 1903, completed October 1903, Armstrong, Whitworth & Co, Low Walker
Size 350 ft (106.7 m); 3,664 GRT
Aboard About 122 (29 first-class, 19 second-class passengers, 72 crew)
Lives lost All on board
The Adelaide Steamship Company's Yongala steamed into a cyclone off the Queensland coast and disappeared with everyone aboard.
Why she is remembered Lost with all hands in a cyclone; now a major recreational dive attraction for Townsville and North Queensland, with more than 10,000 divers a year.
The wreck today Found in 1958 by fisherman Bill Kirkpatrick. Lies in about 30 m; protected under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018, access by permit only via the Maritime Archaeology Section of the Museum of Tropical Queensland.
Sources differ Aboard figure given as about 122; passenger and crew numbers listed sum to 120.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Brummer Scuttled
21 June 1919 · Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship Brummer-class minelaying cruiser, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 11 December 1915, AG Vulcan, Stettin
Size 140.4 m (460 ft 8 in); 4,385 t normal, 5,856 t full load
In October 1917 Brummer and her sister raided a British convoy to Norway, sinking two escorting destroyers and nine of twelve merchant ships. On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered A fast cruiser built as a minelayer, remembered for the 1917 convoy raid and now a Scapa Flow dive.
The wreck today Lies in 36 m; a popular recreational dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Cöln Scuttled
21 June 1919 (sank 13:50) · Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship Cöln-class light cruiser, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 5 October 1916, Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Size 155.5 m (510 ft); 5,620 t normal, 7,486 t full load; 8 x 15 cm guns
On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered One of the seven German warships still on the bottom of Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Lies in 36 m; scheduled monument from 23 May 2001; a popular recreational dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Offical Royal Navy Photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Dresden Scuttled
21 June 1919 · South-east of the island of Cava, Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship Cöln-class light cruiser, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 25 April 1917, Blohm und Voss, Hamburg
Size 155.5 m (510 ft); 5,620 t normal, 7,486 t full load
On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered One of the seven German warships still on the bottom of Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Lies in 25 to 45 m; a popular recreational dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources differ Depth given as 25 to 45 m and as 25 to 38 m.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Karlsruhe Scuttled
21 June 1919 · Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship Königsberg-class light cruiser, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 31 January 1916, Kaiserliche Werft
Size 151.4 m (496 ft 9 in); 5,440 t normal, 7,125 t full load
On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered One of the seven German warships still on the bottom of Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Lies in 25 m; a popular recreational dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources differ Builder given as Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven in the infobox but the text refers to the Kaiserliche Werft in Kiel.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS König Scuttled
21 June 1919 · Gutter Sound, east of Cava, Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship König-class dreadnought battleship, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 1 March 1913, Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven (construction no. 33)
Size 175.4 m (575 ft 6 in); 25,796 t normal, 28,600 t full load; ten 30.5 cm guns
König led the German line at Jutland in 1916, took ten heavy shell hits and lost 45 men killed. On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered The lead ship of her class and of the German line at Jutland; in 2019 the salvage rights to the wreck were sold on eBay for £25,500.
The wreck today Lies in 40 m on a sandy floor with her hull facing upwards at about 20 m; a popular dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm Scuttled
Also known as SMS Kronprinz (renamed 15 June 1918)
21 June 1919 (sank 13:15) · Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship König-class dreadnought battleship, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 21 February 1914, Germaniawerft, Kiel
Size 175.4 m (575 ft 6 in); 25,796 t normal, 28,600 t full load; ten 30.5 cm guns
At Jutland she was the rearmost ship of her division and came through unscathed. On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered One of three German dreadnoughts still lying in Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Lies between 12 and 38 m; a popular dive. Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Offical Royal Navy Photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
SMS Markgraf Scuttled
21 June 1919 · Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland
The ship König-class dreadnought battleship, Germany (Kaiserliche Marine)
Built Launched 4 June 1913, AG Weser, Bremen
Size 175.4 m (575 ft 6 in); 25,796 t normal, 28,600 t full load; ten 30.5 cm guns
Lives lost Her captain, Walter Schumann, and one enlisted man were shot by British guards during the scuttling
At Jutland Markgraf was third in the German line and took five heavy hits, with 11 killed. On 21 June 1919, with the interned German High Seas Fleet held at Scapa Flow after the Armistice, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet scuttled; 52 of the 74 interned ships sank and 9 Germans were killed.
Why she is remembered One of three German dreadnoughts still lying in Scapa Flow.
The wreck today Never raised for scrap, unlike most of the scuttled fleet. Designated a scheduled monument in 2001; since 2025 the whole site is a Scottish marine protected area, making it a criminal offence to remove items. Divers may visit as long as nothing is damaged or taken.
Sources Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United Kingdom
SS Great Britain Scuttled
Scuttled 1937 · Sparrow Cove, 3.5 miles from Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
The ship Iron screw steamship, passenger liner, United Kingdom
Built Launched 19 July 1843, Bristol, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, built by William Patterson in a specially adapted dry dock
Size 322 ft (98 m); 3,443 tons burthen, 3,674 tons load draught; twin 88-inch inclined direct-acting steam engines, single screw
In 1886 she arrived at Port Stanley after a fire and was found damaged beyond economic repair. She was sold to the Falkland Islands Company and used as a coal storage hulk, then scuttled in Sparrow Cove in 1937.
Why she is remembered Brunel's ship was the first to combine an iron hull and a screw propeller in a large ocean-going ship, the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic (1845, in 14 days) and by far the largest vessel ever built when launched.
The wreck today Salvaged in 1970 in an operation funded by Jack Hayward and towed up the River Avon to Bristol on 5 July 1970. Now a museum ship in Bristol Harbour (131,056 visitors in 2025).
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Germany
SS Antilla Scuttled
10 May 1940 · Malmok Bay, Aruba
The ship Cargo ship, Germany
Built Launched 21 March 1939, completed 11 July 1939, Deutsche Werft, Hamburg (yard no. 222)
Size 398.3 ft (121.4 m); 4,363 GRT
When Germany invaded the Netherlands, the Hamburg America Line ship's German crew scuttled her to prevent capture by Dutch authorities: one man opened the seacocks and climbed out through the funnel, others set fires.
Why she is remembered A Hamburg America Line ship scuttled by her own crew to avoid capture, now a popular Aruba dive site.
The wreck today Lies in up to 60 ft (18 m); a popular dive site, though some divers now consider it unsafe to enter.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Unbekannt, Foto aus dem Jahr 1939, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Italy
Umbria Scuttled
Also known as Bahia Blanca
10 June 1940 · Off Wingate Reef, Port Sudan, Sudan, Red Sea
The ship Passenger and cargo steamship, Italy
Built Launched 30 December 1911 in Hamburg for the Hamburg America Line; renamed Umbria by the Italian government in 1935
Size 153 m (about 450 ft) long; capacity about 9,000 tons of cargo
Lives lost No casualties reported
Sailing from Naples for Italy's East African colonies with about 360,000 bombs, large calibre shells, 60 boxes of detonators, cement, building materials and Fiat cars, she was detained by the British at Port Sudan. When Captain Lorenzo Muiesan heard by radio that Italy had entered the war, he scuttled her on 10 June 1940 so that her munitions could not be seized.
Why she is remembered Often called one of the world's finest wreck dives, she still holds her cargo of bombs. The diving pioneer Hans Hass explored her nine years after she sank.
The wreck today Lies on her port side near Wingate Reef, about 10 minutes by boat from Port Sudan, between about 5 and 33 to 37 m; very well preserved, with rows of aircraft bombs in the aft holds, Fiat cars, engine room, propellers and rudder. A popular dive site; the munitions remain on board.
Sources differ Cargo of munitions given as 8,600 tons (ssthistlegorm.com) or 6,000 tonnes (guillenphoto.com). Depth ranges stated as 30 to 37 m or 5 to 33 m.
Sources ssthistlegorm.com · guillenphoto.com · blueforcefleet.com · Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
SS President Coolidge War
26 October 1942 · Off Luganville, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu)
The ship Ocean liner, then troopship, United States
Built Launched 21 February 1931, Newport News Shipbuilding (yard no. 340)
Size 653 ft (199 m) overall, beam 81 ft (24.7 m); 21,936 GRT
Aboard About 5,000 troops; 5,340 men got safely ashore
Lives lost Two: fireman Robert Reid and Captain Elwood Joseph Euart
Safe-entry information had been accidentally omitted from her sailing orders, and Captain Henry Nelson, unaware of the minefields, took the most obvious channel into Santo harbour. She struck a mine near the engine room and a second near the stern. Almost everyone got ashore; Captain Elwood Euart of the 103rd Field Artillery Regiment went back in through a sea door to rescue trapped men, could not escape himself, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Why she is remembered A former Dollar Line liner with two saltwater pools, now a wreck that recreational divers can explore in large part without specialised equipment, famed for 'The Lady', a porcelain relief of a lady riding a unicorn.
The wreck today Rests on her port side with the bow at 21 m and the stern at 73 m; dived from the shore. No salvage or removal of any artefact has been allowed since 1983.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Aikoku Maru War
16 February 1944 (17 February in other accounts of Operation Hailstone) · Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon (07°22′N 151°56′E)
The ship Armed merchant cruiser (converted passenger freighter), Japan
Built Laid down 29 December 1938, launched 25 April 1940, Mitsui Tamano shipyard, Okayama Prefecture
Size 160.8 m (527 ft 7 in); 10,438 GRT
Aboard 945 crew and passengers
Lives lost Most of the 945 aboard
Bombed by aircraft from USS Intrepid and set on fire, then hit by a torpedo which detonated the ammunition in her No. 1 hold and sheared off her bow.
Why she is remembered Dived by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in 1969; around 400 sets of remains were recovered in 1980 and a memorial was placed on the wreck on 17 February 1994.
The wreck today Upright, bridge at about 40 m, bottom at about 64 m; a popular dive and a war grave.
Sources differ Date sunk given as 16 February 1944 in the ship article; Operation Hailstone dates are 17 to 18 February 1944 (likely date line or time zone difference).
Sources Wikipedia
Image: Imperial Japanese Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Fujikawa Maru War
17 February 1944 · Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia
The ship Cargo ship, requisitioned as auxiliary armed aircraft transport, Japan
Built Completed 1938, Mitsubishi Zosensho, Nagasaki; owner Toyo Kaiun K.K., Tokyo
Size 437.4 ft (133.3 m); 6,938 long tons
Hit repeatedly by US bombers and torpedo bombers during Operation Hailstone. Sunk in Operation Hailstone, the US carrier air raids on the Japanese base at Truk on 17 and 18 February 1944, which sank 32 merchant ships and several warships and killed over 4,500 Japanese.
Why she is remembered Her forward hold holds at least nine disassembled fighters, eight A6M Zeros and an A5M; The Times named her one of the top ten wreck dives in the world.
The wreck today A leading wreck dive in Chuuk Lagoon; divers know her workshop compressor nicknamed 'R2D2'.
Sources Wikipedia · scubadivingearth.com
Image: Motoki Kurabayashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Heian Maru War
1944 (Operation Hailstone) · Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia
The ship Ocean liner, converted to submarine tender, Japan
Built Launched 1930
Size 155 m (510 ft); 11,614 tons
Sunk in Operation Hailstone, the US carrier air raids on the Japanese base at Truk on 17 and 18 February 1944, which sank 32 merchant ships and several warships and killed over 4,500 Japanese.
Why she is remembered A converted liner whose wreck still holds shells, torpedoes, submarine periscopes, china plates and sake bottles.
The wreck today Lies between 11 and 33 m.
Sources Wikipedia · scubadivingearth.com
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Hoyo Maru War
17 February 1944 · Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia
The ship Tanker, Japan
Built 1936
Size 145 m (475 ft); 8,691 tons
Sunk in Operation Hailstone, the US carrier air raids on the Japanese base at Truk on 17 and 18 February 1944, which sank 32 merchant ships and several warships and killed over 4,500 Japanese.
Why she is remembered Capsized with a broken back, her upturned hull now covered in hard corals.
The wreck today Upside down between 3 and 30 m; engine room accessible.
Sources scubadivingearth.com · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Nippo Maru War
17 to 18 February 1944 · Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean
The ship Cargo ship converted to auxiliary water tanker and transport, Japan
Built Kawasaki Dockyard, Kobe; launched 16 September 1936, for Okazaki Honten Steamship Co.
Size 107 m (354 ft) long; 3,764 gross tons
Lives lost None reported during the sinking (Master Liveaboards)
Used by the Imperial Japanese Navy to carry fresh water, troops and munitions, she was at Truk during Operation Hailstone, the United States carrier raid of February 1944. TBF Avengers from USS Essex hit her cargo hold and engine room with 500 lb bombs, and she sank.
Why she is remembered One of the classic Truk Lagoon wreck dives, famous for the Type 97 tank, howitzers and field guns still on and around her deck.
The wreck today Rests upright with a heavy list to port; shallowest point about 21 m, deck about 31 to 34 m, seabed about 47 m. Cargo includes a tank, three howitzers on rubber wheeled carriages, mines, shells, gas masks, rangefinders and beer bottles.
Sources differ Depth to seabed 47 m (Master Liveaboards, Shearwater) versus 42 m (TracesOfWar).
Sources masterliveaboards.com · tracesofwar.com · petemesley.com · shearwater.com
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Rio de Janeiro Maru War
17 to 18 February 1944 · Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean
The ship Passenger and cargo liner, later submarine tender, Japan
Built 1929 (Pete Mesley says 1930), Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Nagasaki, for Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK)
Size 140 to 141 m long; 9,626 gross tons; capacity 1,140 passengers
Lives lost Captain Kanemasu and two crewmen
Built for OSK's service carrying Japanese emigrants to Brazil, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1940 and armed as a transport and submarine tender with four 5.9 inch guns. During Operation Hailstone she was hit by several 1,000 lb bombs, probably from USS Yorktown or USS Bunker Hill aircraft, and sank.
Why she is remembered A former emigrant liner to South America, now a favourite Truk dive for her great propellers, stern gun and holds full of beer bottles.
The wreck today Lies on her starboard side from about 9 m to 30 to 35 m; engine room, propellers, rudder, guns and crates of bottles can be seen. A popular dive site.
Sources differ Built 1929 (Master Liveaboards) versus 1930 (Pete Mesley).
Sources masterliveaboards.com · petemesley.com · shearwater.com · scubadivingearth.com · Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
San Francisco Maru War
18 February 1944 · Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean
The ship Passenger and cargo ship, later naval transport, Japan
Built Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Kobe; keel laid 5 January 1919, in service March 1919
Size 117 m (385 ft) long; 5,864 gross tons (Pete Mesley gives 5,831 tons)
Lives lost Five crew
Serving the Imperial Japanese Navy as a general transport with a civilian crew, she was loaded with war materials when US carrier aircraft attacked Truk in Operation Hailstone. Avengers from USS Essex hit her with 500 lb bombs amidships; she burned and sank stern first.
Why she is remembered Known as the 'Million Dollar Wreck' for the tanks, trucks, mines, shells and torpedoes still in her holds, she is one of the most celebrated deep wreck dives in the world.
The wreck today Upright and largely intact with masts standing, from about 34 m to the seabed at about 62 to 64 m (deck about 50 m). Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks on deck (two of them stacked), a steam roller, trucks, mines, depth charges and Type 93 torpedoes in the holds. A technical dive.
Sources differ Tonnage 5,864 GT (Master Liveaboards) versus 5,831 tons (Pete Mesley).
Sources masterliveaboards.com · petemesley.com · shearwater.com · scubadivingearth.com · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Japan
Shinkoku Maru War
18 February 1944 · Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean
The ship Naval tanker (fleet oiler), Japan
Built 1940, for Kobe Sanbashi K.K.
Size 152 m (500 ft); 10,020 tons
Requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1941, she supplied the carrier strike force at Pearl Harbor and later operations against Rabaul, Ambon and Darwin. She survived torpedo damage in 1942 and 1943 and reached Truk on 14 February 1944. During Operation Hailstone a dive bomber from USS Yorktown hit her amidships on 17 February, and Avenger torpedo bombers struck her the next morning; she sank that afternoon.
Why she is remembered A veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack force, she is now one of the most beautiful wrecks in Truk Lagoon, blanketed in soft corals and anemones.
The wreck today Upright with superstructure at about 12 m, deck about 20 m, seabed 38 to 40 m; bridge with telegraphs, medical table and an accessible engine room. A popular dive site.
Sources petemesley.com · shearwater.com · dive3d.eu · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
USS Saratoga (CV-3) Explosion
25 July 1946 · Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands (11°34′53″N 165°29′55″E)
The ship Lexington-class aircraft carrier, United States
Built Launched 7 April 1925, New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
Size 888 ft (270.7 m); 36,000 long tons standard
After Second World War service, for which she received eight battle stars, she was used as a target ship in the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests and sank after the underwater 'Baker' explosion.
Why she is remembered A Second World War carrier sunk by an atomic bomb test, one of only three carrier wrecks accessible to recreational divers.
The wreck today Upright, with the top of the wreck about 50 ft (15 m) below the surface; a scuba destination, with dive trips resumed in 2011.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites
Superior Producer Other causes
Also known as Andromeda (until 1962)
September 1977 · Off Otrobanda, just outside Willemstad harbour, Curaçao, Caribbean Sea, about 137 m (450 ft) from shore
The ship Small cargo freighter
Built 1957, Netherlands
Size About 50 m (164 to 165 ft) long
Lives lost None reported; the crew escaped
Bound for Isla Margarita, Venezuela, with a cargo of clothing and alcohol for the Christmas season, she was overloaded. Leaving Willemstad in rough seas, her cargo shifted and she sank just outside the harbour.
Why she is remembered Regarded as one of the best wreck dives in the Caribbean and Curaçao's best known wreck.
The wreck today Sits almost perfectly upright on sand at about 30 m (deck from about 21 m), covered in corals, sponges and orange cup corals, with an open cargo hold. Reached from shore or by boat; a popular dive site.
Sources rushkult.com · central-dive-curacao.com · scubacao.com · deepblu.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Panama (owner Ianissos Shipping Company from 1975)
Kimon M Reef and rocks
Also known as Brunsbuttel Byelourus II (1952), Ciudad Ce Cucuta (1953 to 1964), as spelt by the Red Sea Wreck Project, Angela (1964 to 1971), Kimon (1971 to 1975)
12 December 1978 · North-east corner of Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, Red Sea, Egypt; 27°34'48“N 33°56'00”E
The ship Cargo ship, Panama (owner Ianissos Shipping Company from 1975)
Built H. C. Stülcken und Sohn, Steinwerder, Hamburg, Germany, yard no. 770; launched 11 February 1952, completed October 1952
Size 106.4 m long, 14.8 m beam; 3,694 GRT; 13 knots
Lives lost None reported; the crew were rescued by MV Interasja
On passage from Iskenderun, Turkey, to Bombay with about 4,500 tons of bagged lentils, she struck Abu Nuhas reef while steaming south at full speed. She first sat upright on the reef and was later pushed into deeper water. Salvors removed her engines and part of the cargo.
Why she is remembered The 'lentil wreck', deepest of the four classic Abu Nuhas wrecks.
The wreck today Lies on her starboard side from about 15 m at the bow to 32 m at the stern; bow reduced to scrap, aft superstructure largely intact with swim-throughs. A popular dive site.
Sources differ Length 106.4 m (Red Sea Wreck Project) versus 120 m (dive-the-world). Flag Panamanian (Red Sea Wreck Project) versus German (dive-the-world, which may refer to her build).
Sources redseawreckproject.com · dive-the-world.com · xplorer-redsea.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Sweden
MS Zenobia Other causes
7 June 1980 · Larnaca Bay, Cyprus (34°53.5′N 33°39.1′E), about 1,500 m from shore
The ship Challenger-class roll-on/roll-off ferry, Sweden
Built Launched 11 August 1979, Kockums Varv AB, Sweden
Size 172.2 m; 10,000 GRT
Lives lost No casualties
On her maiden voyage from Malmö to Tartous, Syria, she developed a list at anchor off Larnaca after a software error in her computerised ballast pumping system made the list progressively worse, and she capsized at about 02:30 with 104 lorries aboard.
Why she is remembered Consistently ranked among the top ten recreational dive sites in the world, with her cargo of lorries still on the decks.
The wreck today Rests on her port side in approximately 42 m.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Greek (dive sources); last owner Clarion Marine Company, Piraeus
Chrisoula K Reef and rocks
Also known as Dora Oldendorff (1953 to 1970), Anna B (1970 to 1979)
31 August 1981 · North-east corner of Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, Strait of Gubal, Red Sea, Egypt; 27°34'50“N 33°55'30”E
The ship Cargo ship, Greek (dive sources); last owner Clarion Marine Company, Piraeus
Built Orenstein, Koppel and Luebecker, Lübeck, Germany; launched 16 December 1953, completed early 1954
Size 98 m long, 14.8 m beam; 3,720 to 3,807 GRT; 2,700 bhp 9 cylinder MAN diesel, 13.5 knots
Aboard 21 crew
Lives lost None recorded; the crew were rescued by the Egyptian Navy
Bound from Italy to Jeddah through the Suez Canal with a cargo of Italian floor tiles, she struck the north-east corner of Abu Nuhas reef at full speed and was lost.
Why she is remembered Known to divers as the 'tile wreck', she is one of the four famous wrecks of Abu Nuhas, the 'ship trap' reef near Hurghada.
The wreck today Sits more or less upright with the bow broken up at about 3 m and the stern at 26 to 28 m, the stern slowly separating; stacks of tiles, the engine room, propeller and rudder can be seen. A popular dive site.
Sources redseawreckproject.com · dive-the-world.com · blueshadesdiving.com · xplorer-redsea.com
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Greece (Dumarc Shipping and Trading Corporation, Piraeus, from 1980)
Giannis D Reef and rocks
Also known as Shoyo Maru (1969 to 1975), Markus (1975 to 1980)
19 April 1983 · Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, Red Sea, Egypt; 27°34'42“N 33°55'24”E
The ship General cargo ship, Greece (Dumarc Shipping and Trading Corporation, Piraeus, from 1980)
Built September 1969, Kurushima Dock Company, Imabari, Japan
Size 99.5 m long, 16 m beam, 6.53 m draught; 2,992 GRT; 3,000 bhp 6 cylinder diesel, 12 knots
Lives lost None reported; the crew abandoned ship safely
Sailing from Rijeka, Yugoslavia, to Jeddah and Hodeidah with a cargo of timber, she drifted west of her course and ran onto Abu Nuhas reef at full speed. She later broke apart in a storm.
Why she is remembered One of the most photographed wreck dives in the Red Sea, famous for her tilted, intact stern and bridge.
The wreck today Lies in three sections along the reef in 10 to 28 m; bow and stern intact, amidships collapsed, engine room at about 13 m and stern at 24 m.
Sources differ Cargo described as softwood or teak.
Sources redseawreckproject.com · dive-the-world.com · blueshadesdiving.com · dive-red.com
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites
Hilma Hooker Other causes
Also known as Midsland (1951 to 1964), Mistral (1964 to 1967), William Express (1967 to 1975), Anna C. (1975 to 1976), Doric Express (1976 to 1979)
12 September 1984 · Off Bonaire, Caribbean
The ship Cargo ship
Built Launched 21 May 1951, Van der Giessen de Noord, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Netherlands
Size 71.78 m (235 ft 6 in); 691 GRT, 1,025 DWT
Detained at Bonaire, she was found to hold 25,000 lb (11,000 kg) of marijuana behind a false bulkhead. While under detention she deteriorated, took on water through her lower portholes and sank.
Why she is remembered Regarded as one of the leading wreck dives in the Caribbean, with a smuggling story attached.
The wreck today Lies in about 100 ft (30 m), a prime attraction for scuba divers.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Soviet Union, then Cuba
MV Captain Keith Tibbetts Scuttled
Also known as Soviet-built frigate 356 (ex SKR-471, Cuban Navy)
Scuttled 1996 · Off Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands
The ship Koni-class (Project 1159) anti-submarine frigate, Soviet Union, then Cuba
Built Koni class built at Zelenodolsk shipyard 1975 to 1988
Size About 330 ft (100 m) per the tourism board; Koni class 1,140 tons standard
The former Cuban Navy frigate was sunk as an artificial reef off Cayman Brac. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 badly damaged her midsection and a 2017 storm tore away the main part of the stern.
Why she is remembered A Cold War Soviet-built warship turned Caribbean dive site, still showing her guns and the red star on her bow.
The wreck today Top at about 20 ft, bottom about 80 ft; suitable for all levels.
Sources differ Described as a 'Russian destroyer' by Cayman tourism and as a frigate by Wikipedia.
Sources explorecayman.com · Wikipedia
No free image of this ship has been found yet.
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) Scuttled
Sank 17 May 2002 · 6 miles off Key Largo, Florida Keys, USA
The ship Thomaston-class dock landing ship, United States
Built Launched 10 November 1955, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Size 510 ft (160 m); 8,899 long tons light
During preparations to scuttle her as an artificial reef she settled too soon, rolled to starboard and ended up upside down on the bottom. In July 2005 Hurricane Dennis pushed her upright onto her keel.
Why she is remembered At the time believed to be the largest ship ever deliberately sunk as a dive site.
The wreck today Top deck about 60 ft (18 m), hull to 135 ft (41 m); opened to recreational divers on 26 June 2002.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United Kingdom
HMS Scylla (F71) Scuttled
Scuttled 27 March 2004 · Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, England
The ship Leander-class frigate, United Kingdom
Built Launched 8 August 1968, Devonport Royal Dockyard
Size 113.4 m (372 ft); 3,200 long tons full load
Decommissioned in December 1993, the frigate was deliberately sunk as an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered The first artificial reef of its kind in Europe.
The wreck today Rests on a 24 m sandy seabed in Whitsand Bay.
Sources Wikipedia
Image: PHC C. Pedrick, US Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · Australia
HMAS Brisbane (D 41) Scuttled
Scuttled 31 July 2005 · About 2.8 nautical miles off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
The ship Perth-class guided missile destroyer (Charles F. Adams class), Australia
Built Launched 5 May 1966, Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan
Size 437 ft (133 m); 3,370 tons standard, 4,551 tons full load
After service in Vietnam (1969 and 1971) and the 1991 Gulf War, the destroyer was paid off on 19 October 2001 and deliberately sunk as a dive wreck.
Why she is remembered A Vietnam and Gulf War veteran deliberately sunk as a dive wreck off the Sunshine Coast.
The wreck today Lies in 27 m within a dive exclusion zone patrolled against unauthorised access and fishing.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
USS Oriskany (CV-34) Scuttled
Sunk as artificial reef 17 May 2006 · Gulf of Mexico, 24 miles (39 km) south of Pensacola, Florida, USA
The ship Essex-class aircraft carrier, United States
Built Launched 13 October 1945, New York Naval Shipyard
Size 888 ft (271 m); 30,800 long tons
Lives lost 44 men died in the 1966 fire on board (not in the sinking)
After service in Korea (two battle stars) and Vietnam (ten), including a 1966 magnesium flare fire that killed 44, she was decommissioned on 30 September 1976 and later sunk as an artificial reef.
Why she is remembered The largest vessel ever sunk as an artificial reef, a record set to be broken by the liner SS United States.
The wreck today Flight deck initially at 135 ft (41 m), 145 ft (44 m) after Hurricane Gustav in 2008.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg Scuttled
Also known as General Harry Taylor (1943 to 1963)
Scuttled 27 May 2009 · 6 miles off Key West, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, USA
The ship General G. O. Squier-class transport, later missile range instrumentation ship, United States
Built Launched 10 October 1943, Kaiser Co., Richmond, California
Size 522 ft 10 in (159.36 m)
A Second World War troopship that later tracked re-entry vehicles in ballistic missile tests, she was sunk as an artificial reef in the Florida Keys.
Why she is remembered Scenes of the 1998 film Virus were shot aboard her.
The wreck today An artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Sources Wikipedia
Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites · United States
USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) Scuttled
Scuttled 5 January 2011 · Off Seven Mile Beach, West Bay, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
The ship Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ship, United States
Built Savannah Machine & Foundry Co., Savannah, Georgia; launched 10 July 1945
Size 251 ft 4 in (76.61 m); 1,780 tons
Commissioned in 1946 and decommissioned on 30 September 1994, she was sunk as an artificial reef. In October 2017 Tropical Storm Nate rolled her onto her port side and moved her towards a natural reef.
Why she is remembered One of the most popular dive and snorkel sites in Grand Cayman.
The wreck today Originally 15 ft (4.6 m) at the shallowest and 64 ft (20 m) at the deepest; since 2017 about 20 ft deeper at the shallowest point. Touching or taking anything is prohibited.
Sources differ Launch date given as 10 July 1945; 13 May 1945 is also given.
Sources Wikipedia
Explore Lost at Sea by chapter
- Ancient and Medieval Wrecks56 ships
- Treasure Fleets and the Age of Sail50 ships
- Warships and Submarines58 ships
- Liners, Ferries and Passenger Ships58 ships
- Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea51 ships
- Polar Ships and Mysteries of the Sea48 ships
- The Indian Ocean and Mauritius121 ships
- Raised Wrecks and Dive Sites47 ships