List of missing ships

This is a list of missing ships and wrecks. If it is known that the ship in question sank, then its wreck has not yet been located.

Ships are usually declared lost and assumed wrecked after a period of disappearance. The disappearance of a ship usually implies all hands lost. Without witnesses or survivors, the mystery surrounding the fate of missing ships has inspired many items of nautical lores and the creation of paranormal zones such as the Bermuda Triangle. In many cases a probable cause has been deduced, such as a known storm or warfare, but it could not be confirmed without witnesses or sufficient documentation.

Many disappearances occurred before wireless telegraphy became available in navigation applications in the late 1890s, which would have allowed crew to send a distress call. Sudden disasters such as military strike, collision, rogue wave, or piracy could also prevent a crew from sending a distress call and reporting a location.

Among the many missing ships on the list are submarines, which have limited communication, and provide the crew almost no chance of survival if struck by disaster under water.

The advancement of radar technology by the end of World War II and today's Global Positioning System make it more likely that a distressed vessel will be located.

Most vessels currently listed as missing disappeared over a vast search area and/or deep water and there is little commercial interest in searching for the vessels and salvaging the wreck and its contents. Often the search and recovery costs are prohibitive even with today's sonar and wrecking technologies and could not be compensated by salvaged valuables, even if there were any on board. The search for these types of missing vessels is usually motivated by historical, legal or actuarial interests requiring the aid of government funding such as in the 2008 discovery of HMAS Sydney and Kormoran.^[1]

The list is organised by the marine region in which the disappearance or sinking occurred, or the closest country to the area. The year of the disappearance, last known location, and possible location of the wreck are included.

Africa

Madagascar
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location HMS Blenheim 1807 off the coast of Madagascar[2]

South Africa
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Waratah 1909 somewhere between Durban and Cape Town[3]

North America

Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Arctic 1854 somewhere off Cape Race, Newfoundland[4] (missing Wreck)  Nova Scotia Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location FV Andrea Gail 1991 somewhere off Sable Island[5] FV L'Acadien II 2008 somewhere off Cape Breton[6] (missing wreck) FV Jutland 1920 approximately 160 kilometers southeast of Halifax[7]  Ontario Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS James Carruthers 1913 Lake Huron, near Georgian Bay.[8] SS Leafield 1913 Lake Superior, probably about 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Port Arthur, Ontario.[9]

United States

Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Baychimo 1969 Ghost ship last sighted in 1969 in Beaufort Sea off Alaska.[10] SS Bannockburn 1902 Lost on Lake Superior 21 November 1902 SS Chicora 1895 Lake freighter that sank on 21 January 1895 in Lake Michigan.[11] SS D.M. Clemson 1908 Lake freighter vanished in a violent Lake Superior storm on 1 December 1908.[12] SS Hippocampus 1868 Lake freighter that capsized in Lake Michigan a few miles from Benton Harbor, Michigan.[13] SS Marine Sulphur Queen 1963 Somewhere in Florida Strait around 25°45′N 86°00′W / 25.750°N 86.000°W / 25.750; -86.000.[14] (missing wreck) SS Plymouth 1913 Near Gull Island and Poverty Island in Green Bay.[15] Undetermined Area Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Albany 1854 somewhere in Caribbean Sea[16] Cerisoles 1918 Minesweeper built for French Navy, lost in heavy weather in Lake Superior along with Inkerman in November 1918.[13] USS Cyclops 1918 somewhere between Barbados and Baltimore, Maryland[17] Danube 1892 somewhere between Guadeloupe and New York City[18] Le Griffon 1679 Lost between Green Bay and the Niagara River.[19] HMS Heureux 1800 somewhere between the Caribbean and Halifax[20] Inkerman 1918 Minesweeper built for French Navy, lost in heavy weather in Lake Superior along with Cerisoles in November 1918.[13] USS Insurgent 1800 somewhere in Caribbean Sea[21] Java 1869 en route to Yokohama[22] USS Lynx 1820 somewhere between St. Mary's, Georgia and Kingston, Jamaica[23] Maratonga 2015 somewhere between Norfolk, Virginia and Portugal[24] SS Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 1909 American or Canadian waters of Lake Erie USS Nereus 1941 somewhere around the Virgin Islands.[25] USS Pickering 1800 somewhere between Newcastle, Delaware and Guadeloupe[26] USS Proteus 1941 somewhere in Caribbean Sea[27] SS R.G. Coburn 1871 Lake freighter lost in heavy weather in Lake Huron in October 1871.[13] USS Saratoga 1781 somewhere in Caribbean Sea[28]

Central America

Panama
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Surcouf 1942 North of Cristóbal, Colón

Asia

India
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Vaitarna 1888 somewhere off the coast of Saurashtra in Arabian Sea[29] MV Kairali 1979 some miles away from Margao[30]

Indonesia
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location U-196 1944 somewhere south of Java near Sunda Strait[31] USS Capelin 1943 somewhere near Sulawesi[32] HMS Lady Nelson 1825 unconfirmed destruction at Aluta Island or Baba Island[33]

Japan
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Kete 1945 somewhere off Ryukyu Islands[34] USS Runner 1943 somewhere off Japan[35] USS Swordfish 1945 somewhere off Ryukyu Islands[36]

Philippines
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Grayling 1943 somewhere off Manila or in Lingayen Gulf[37]

Undetermined Area
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Porpoise 1854 somewhere off the coast of China or Taiwan[38] USS Snook 1945 somewhere between South China Sea and Luzon Strait[39]

Europe

Greece
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location HMS Sickle 1944 probably sunk in Antikythera Channel[40] Unterseeboot UB-3 1915 Lost in the Aegean Sea west of Izmir[41]

United Kingdom
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Lord Spencer 1895 somewhere between San Francisco and New York City.[42] Unterseeboot U-47 1941 somewhere near the Rockall Banks around 60°N 19°W / 60°N 19°W / 60; -19[43]

Undetermined Area

Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Unterseeboot U-22 1940 somewhere in Skagerrak Strait[44] Unterseeboot U-54 1940 somewhere in North Sea[45] Unterseeboot U-122 1940 somewhere between North Sea and Bay of Biscay[46] Unterseeboot U-240 1944 somewhere in North Sea west of Norway[47] Unterseeboot U-337 1943 somewhere around 63°N 12°W / 63°N 12°W / 63; -12[48] Unterseeboot U-376 1943 somewhere in Bay of Biscay[49] Unterseeboot U-398 1945 somewhere in North Sea[50] Unterseeboot U-519 1943 somewhere in Bay of Biscay[51] Schooner Cymric 1943 Last seen 24 February 1943 off Dublin en route to Lisbon vanished with crew of 11[52] Unterseeboot U-703 1944 somewhere in Norwegian Sea[53] Eurydice 1970 somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea Gibraltar 1867 reportedly sunk in English Channel[54] (missing wreck) HMS Seahorse 1940 somewhere in Heligoland Bight[55] (missing wreck) HMS Snapper 1941 somewhere in Bay of Biscay[56] ORP Orzeł 1940 somewhere in North Sea[57]

Oceania

Australia

New South Wales Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Awahou 1952 somewhere between Sydney and Lord Howe Island[58] Amy Louise 1909 somewhere between Pernambuco, Brazil and Sydney[59] Whale 1816 somewhere between Sydney and the mouth of the Hawkesbury River[58]  Northern Territory Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Nft West 1989 somewhere in Arafura Sea[33] Peron 1948 somewhere near Darwin[33] Phoenix 1950 somewhere between Truscott and Darwin[33]  Queensland Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Douglas Mawson 1923 somewhere between Cairns and Thursday Island[33] Morning Star 1814 somewhere off Booby Island[60]  South Australia Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location  Tasmania Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Albion somewhere between Table Cape and Circular Head[61] Amelia J. 1920 somewhere around the Furneaux Group[62] Argo 1814 somewhere off the coast[61] Awarau 1891 somewhere off Macquarie Island[63] Celestia 1887 somewhere between Russell, New Zealand and Hobart[61] Chris 1903 somewhere between Hobart and Adventure Bay[61] City of Hobart 1873 somewhere between Hobart and Blackman's Bay[61] Despatch 1826 somewhere off Cape Pillar[61] Elizabeth Radcliff 1850 [61] Fleetwing 1876 [61] John Leslie Griffiths 1880 somewhere around King Island[64] Louisa 1882 somewhere around Fortescue Bay[61] Omega 1921 somewhere between Hobart and Lyttelton, New Zealand[61] Reindeer 1862 somewhere around the Kent Group[65] (missing wreck) Resolution 1832 somewhere between Launceston and Twofold Bay[61] Southern Cross 1908 somewhere around the Furneaux Group[62] (unconfirmed wreck) Unity 1813 somewhere off the coast[61]  Victoria Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Christina Fraser 1933 somewhere between Gabo Island, last sighting, and Geelong[66][67] Flying Duck 1876 somewhere off Swan Island (unidentified/missing wreck)[61] Undetermined area Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Grecian Queen 1863 somewhere between Newcastle and Melbourne (unidentified/missing wreck)[61] John 1806 somewhere between King Island and Sydney[58] Jumna 1881 somewhere between Hobart and Fremantle[61] Lady Franklin 1838 somewhere between Sydney and Hobart[61] Maid of Australia 1834 somewhere between Port Arthur and Port Philip[61] Port Phillip Packet 1838 somewhere between Launceston and Port Phillip Bay[61] Princess Charlotte 1820 somewhere between Hobart and Sydney[61] Raven 1806 [61] HMS Sappho 1858 somewhere in Bass Strait Senorita 1854 somewhere between Sydney and Hobart[61] Venus 1803 somewhere between Sydney and southern New Zealand[61] Viscount McDuff After 8 August 1882 somewhere between Sydney and Madras (unidentified/missing wreck)[61] Vivid 1854 somewhere between Melbourne and Circular Head, Tasmania[61] Yarra Yarra 1838 somewhere between Launceston and Port Phillip Bay[61]

Northern Mariana Islands
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Gudgeon 1944 near Maug Islands,[68] or unconfirmed sinking southeast of Iwo Jima at 22°52′N 143°32′W / 22.867°N 143.533°W / 22.867; -143.533[69] (missing wreck)

New Zealand
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location General Grant 1866 off western shore of Auckland Island,[70] (missing wreck)

Papua New Guinea
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Amberjack 1943 probably sunk off Rabaul (missing wreck)[71]

Solomon Islands
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location USS Grampus 1943 probably sunk in Blackett Strait (missing wreck)[72]

Undetermined area
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Independence 1805 somewhere between Sydney and the Antipodes Islands, south east of New Zealand Active 1810 Tasman Sea[73]

High seas

The following lists contain entries that could not be referenced to an area close to any one particular country or an area definitely in international waters.

Arctic Ocean
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Unterseeboot U-355 1944 [74] Unterseeboot U-398 1945 possibly in North Sea as well[75] (also listed under Europe)

Atlantic Ocean

Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location U-116 1942 somewhere around 45°00′N 31°30′W / 45.000°N 31.500°W / 45.000; -31.500[76] U-184 1942 somewhere east of Newfoundland near 49°N 45°W / 49°N 45°W / 49; -45[77] U-192 1943 somewhere southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland around 53°06′N 45°02′W / 53.100°N 45.033°W / 53.100; -45.033[78] (missing wreck) U-338 1943 somewhere around 57°N 30°W / 57°N 30°W / 57; -30[79] U-381 1943 somewhere south of Greenland[80] U-420 1943 [81] U-529 1943 [82] U-553 1943 [83] U-1226 1944 [84] Africa 1883 somewhere between New York City and Leith[85] America 1882 somewhere between New York City and Hamburg[85] Apollo 1894 somewhere between New York City and Antwerp[85] HMS Atalanta 1880 somewhere between Bermuda and England[86] SS City of Boston 1870 somewhere between New York City and Liverpool[85] SS City of Glasgow 1854 somewhere between Liverpool and Philadelphia[85] City of Limerick 1882 somewhere between New York City and London[85] City of London 1881 somewhere between London and New York City[85] Colombo 1876 somewhere between Hull and New York City[85] USS Cyclops 1918 somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle[87] USS Epervier 1815 [88] Erin 1889 somewhere between New York City and London[85] Henry Edye 1881 somewhere between Antwerp and New York City[85] Hermann Ludwig 1878 somewhere between New York City and Antwerp[85] Humber 1885 somewhere between New York City and London[85] Huronian 1902 somewhere between Glasgow and Saint John, New Brunswick[85] SS Ismailia 1873 somewhere between New York City and Glasgow[85] FV Johannes Krüss 1967 somewhere west of Cape Farewell, Greenland[89] København 1928–1929 somewhere between Buenos Aires and Australia (also listed under Indian Ocean) Ludwig 1883 somewhere between Antwerp and Montreal[85] Madagascar 1853 somewhere between Port Phillip and London[90] (also listed under Indian Ocean) Mercator 1880 somewhere between Antwerp and New York City[85] Merrimac 1899 somewhere between Quebec City and Belfast[85] Moy 1905 somewhere between British Guiana and Liverpool[18] MS München 1978 somewhere around 44°N 24°W / 44°N 24°W / 44; -24[91] (missing wreck) SS Naronic 1893 somewhere between Point Lynas, Wales and New York City[85] Neustria 1908 somewhere between New York City and Marseille[85] Neva 1887 somewhere between Banyuwangi and Lisbon[18] (also listed under Indian Ocean) Pacific 1856 somewhere between Liverpool and New York City[85] Pauillac 1900 somewhere between Glasgow and Saint John, New Brunswick[85] President 1841 somewhere between New York City and Liverpool[85] De Ruyter 1894 somewhere between Antwerp and New York City[85] Shannon 1872 somewhere between Montreal and Liverpool[85] Shannon 1885 somewhere between London and Calcutta[18] (also listed under Indian Ocean) Spray 1909 somewhere between Vineyard Haven, United States and Venezuela[92] Tempest 1857 somewhere between New York City and Glasgow[85] Titania 1882 somewhere between New York City and Newcastle[85] Trojan 1874 somewhere between Glasgow and Halifax[85] United Kingdom 1869 somewhere between New York City and Glasgow[85] Vorsetzen 1885 somewhere between Halifax and Antwerp[85]

Indian Ocean

Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location København 1928–1929 somewhere between Buenos Aires and Australia (also listed under Atlantic Ocean) Madagascar 1853 somewhere between Port Phillip and London[90] (also listed under Atlantic Ocean) Neva 1887 somewhere between Banyuwangi and Lisbon[18] (also listed under Atlantic Ocean) Shannon 1885 somewhere between London and Calcutta[18] (also listed under Atlantic Ocean) Burmah 1859/60 somewhere between London and New Zealand (last seen near 97E 48S) HMS Stonehenge 1944 somewhere in Bay of Bengal or Andaman Sea[93] MV MV Kairali 1979 somewhere 500 km off Margoa, India[94]

Tasman Sea
Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location SS Canastota 1921 somewhere between Sydney and Wellington[95]

Pacific Ocean

Prefix Ship Year Possible or Last Known Location Amelia 1816 somewhere between Sydney and Java[96] SY Aurora 1918 somewhere between Newcastle, Australia and Iquique, Chile[97] Endeavour 1914 somewhere between Macquarie Island and Hobart[63] HMCS Integrity 1805 somewhere between Sydney, Australia and Valparaíso, Chile[98] Kakanui 1891 somewhere between Macquarie Island and New Zealand[63] USS Kete 1945 somewhere between Colnett Strait (Tokara Kaikyo) and Midway Island[99] Lyman D. Foster 1919 somewhere between Nuku'alofa and San Francisco[100][101]

See also

• Lists of shipwrecks
• List of unrecovered and unusable flight recorders
• List of ghost ships

References