Merchant Ships and Disasters at Sea
Cargo ships, tankers, fishing boats and lifeboats: the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Torrey Canyon, the Mont-Blanc and the Amoco Cadiz.
This chapter of Lost at Sea holds 51 ships. For each one we give what she was, when and where she was lost, why she is remembered and where she lies today. See all 489 ships on one page.
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
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
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