The list of shipwrecks in 1959 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1959.
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | |
May | Jun | Jul | Aug | |
Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
Unknown date | ||||
References |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Valder | United States | The motor vessel sank in the North Pacific Ocean off Craig, Alaska. [1] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Freya | United Kingdom | The fisheries protection vessel foundered off Caithness with the loss of three of her twenty crew. [2] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Pelayo | United Kingdom | The cargo ship struck a jetty at Livorno, Italy and was holed. She subsequently sank, but all 32 crew and both passengers were rescued. [3] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Valiant Effort | United States | The Liberty ship was abandoned in the Mediterranean Sea. She subsequently came ashore near Ras el Djebel, Tunisia, and broke in two. [4] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Natone | Australia | The cargo ship ran aground and sank off Double Island Point, Queensland, Australia. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Yandra | Australia | The coastal steamer ran aground and was wrecked at the mouth of Spencer Gulf in South Australia. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Laura T Gabriella | Italy | The coaster sank in a storm off Antipaxos, Greece. All eight crew killed. [5] |
Adele Andolo | Italy | The coaster foundered 40 nautical miles (74 km) south of Malta. Five of her eleven crew were killed, six were rescued by the Admiralty tug Mediator ( United Kingdom). [6] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Hans Hedtoft | Denmark | The cargo liner sank on her maiden voyage off Cape Farewell, Greenland with the loss of all 95 passengers and crew. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
No. 63 | Republic of China Navy | Chinese Civil War: The auxiliary gunboat was shelled and sunk by No. 565, No. 566, and No. 567 (all People's Liberation Army Navy). 11 crewmen killed, 12 taken as prisoners of war. [7] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Jens Bangrang | Denmark | The passenger ship ran aground north of Copenhagen. Three hundred passengers transferred ashore by tugs. [8] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Princesse Josephine Charlotte | Belgium | The ferry ran aground at Ostend, later refloated undamaged. [9] |
Pitho | Singapore | The tug collided with Takeshima Maru ( Japan) in Singapore Harbour, capsized and sank with the loss of five of her nine crew. [10] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Henry Foss | Canada | The tug struck a rock off Vancouver Island and sank with the loss of all five crew. [11] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ocean Trade | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground off Yokosuka, Japan. All 42 crew rescued. [12] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Marios II | Greece | The cargo ship sank at 38°35′N24°21′E / 38.583°N 24.350°E whilst under tow following a boiler explosion. She was on a voyage from Stratoni to Piraeus. [13] |
OPV Hermodur | Iceland | The lighthouse tender foundered off Reykjanes with the loss of all twelve crew. [14] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Llandaff | United Kingdom | The 12,501 grt freighter ran aground at Esbjerg. She was refloated 7 March 1959 and scrapped in September 1959. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Irene C | United States | The 8-gross register ton, 30.2-foot (9.2 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at Wrangell, Alaska. [15] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ocean Trade | United Kingdom | The cargo ship sank off Yokosuka, Japan. [12] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Cassia County | United States Navy | The decommissioned tank landing ship was sunk as a target. |
Stellatus | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground 2+1⁄2 nautical miles (4.6 km) south of Duncansby Head, Caithness, United Kingdom. All 40 crew were rescued. Stellatus was on a voyage from Turku, Finland to Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, United Kingdom. She broke in two on 10 March and was a total loss. [16] [17] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Bluefin | United States | While her owner-operator was ashore, the 48-foot (14.6 m) seiner was destroyed by fire at Station Island ( 56°29′35″N132°46′00″W / 56.49306°N 132.76667°W ) in Sumner Strait in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [18] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Lisa C | Italy | The coastal tanker ran aground near Mazagan, Morocco. All crew rescued by American military helicopters from Sidi Slimane Air Base. [19] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ruth | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire off Blank Island ( 55°16′20″N131°38′30″W / 55.27222°N 131.64167°W ) in Nichols Passage in Southeast Alaska. [20] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Kholmogory | Soviet Union | The cargo ship collided with Bischofstein ( West Germany) off Spiekeroog, Netherlands and sank. One of her 41 crew was killed, the 40 survivors were rescued by Bischofstein and landed at Bremerhaven, West Germany. [21] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Valchem | United States | The T2 tanker collided with the ocean liner Santa Rosa ( United States) 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Atlantic City, New Jersey. [22] Four people were killed. [23] [24] Valchem was consequently scrapped. [22] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Point Reyes | United States | The 44-gross register ton, 57.2-foot (17.4 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire 0.125 nautical miles (0.232 km; 0.144 mi) southwest of Kane Island ( 57°19′25″N135°40′00″W / 57.32361°N 135.66667°W ) in Salisbury Sound in Southeast Alaska. [25] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Charlotte Ann | United States | The 15-gross register ton, 40.2-foot (12.3 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Belkofski Bay ( 55°05′N162°09′W / 55.083°N 162.150°W ) on the south-central coast of Alaska. [26] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Alkaira | The cargo ship was destroyed at Ostend, Belgium, by an explosive charge planted by La Main Rouge. | |
Holdernith | United Kingdom | Ran aground off Burnham on Sea, Somerset. Refloated undamaged a week later. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Spurn Lightship | United Kingdom | The lightship was driven ashore in the River Hull at Woodmansea, Yorkshire. [27] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Harborough | United Kingdom | The cargo ship struck the wreck of Kholmogory ( Soviet Union) in the Weser Estuary and sank. All 42 crew rescued by the German pilot ship Weser ( West Germany). [28] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Prescott | Canada | The cargo ship collided with a bridge over the Beauharnois Canal at Valleyfield, Quebec and then ran aground. Refloated after fifteen hours. [30] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Fortuna | United States | The 10-gross register ton, 36.1-foot (11.0 m) fishing vessel sank approximately 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off the mouth of Burnett Inlet ( 56°04′N132°28′W / 56.067°N 132.467°W ) in Southeast Alaska. [31] |
Nicolas Kairis | Greece | The Liberty ship ran aground at Kuchinoshima, Japan ( 30°30′N129°52′E / 30.500°N 129.867°E ) and broke in two. [4] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Gugsier | West Germany | The tug collided with the tanker Kylix ( Netherlands), which she was towing, and sank at Hamburg with the loss of one crewmember. [32] |
Dandarra | United Arab Republic | The passenger boat sank in the River Nile near Barrage Gardens, 16 miles (26 km) south of Cairo. At least eleven people were killed, with 175 rescued and an unknown number missing. [33] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Lassie | United States | The 21-gross register ton, 42-foot (12.8 m) fishing vessel sank in Stephens Passage near Midway Island ( 57°50′15″N133°48′45″W / 57.83750°N 133.81250°W ) in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [34] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
P P | United States | The 8-gross register ton, 28-foot (8.5 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire approximately 200 yards (180 m) off Dog Point ( 57°10′10″N135°25′20″W / 57.16944°N 135.42222°W ) in Sitka Sound in Southeast Alaska. [25] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Lyon County | United States Navy | The decommissioned LST-542-class tank landing ship was sunk as a torpedo target by the submarine USS Capitaine ( United States Navy) off the coast of Washington. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Channel Trader | United Kingdom | The coaster ran aground off Cap de la Hague, France. [35] [36] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
A R B 10 | United States | The 39-gross register ton, 62.8-foot (19.1 m) fishing vessel sank in Lituya Bay in Southeast Alaska. [37] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Daibabe | Panama | The cargo ship sank east of Malta. All crew rescued by Uarda ( Sweden). [38] |
USS LSSL-67 | United States Navy | The LCS(L)-class landing craft was sunk as a target with bombs and rockets sometime in May. [39] [40] |
Motomar | Argentina | The coaster sank off Argentina with the loss of fifteen of her eighteen crew. [41] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ocean Layer | United Kingdom | The cable ship caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean ( 48°26′N19°03′W / 48.433°N 19.050°W ) and was abandoned by her crew. She was taken in tow by Wotan ( West Germany), arriving at Falmouth, Cornwall on 21 June still on fire. Declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped. [43] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Springdale | United Kingdom | The cargo ship sank off the coast of Sweden. All seventeen crew survived unharmed. [44] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Monrovia | Liberia | During a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium, to either Chicago, Illinois, or Duluth, Minnesota (according to different sources) with a cargo of steel, the cargo ship collided in heavy fog with the steamer Royalton ( United Kingdom) in Lake Huron and was abandoned by her crew. She sank in 140 feet (43 m) of water 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) off Thunder Bay Island, Michigan, United States the next day at 44°35′25″N82°33′12″W / 44.590278°N 82.553333°W . [45] [46] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Kamishak | United States | The 12-gross register ton, 36.2-foot (11.0 m) fishing vessel sank at Cape Kumlik ( 56°39′N157°27′W / 56.650°N 157.450°W ) on the south-central coast of Alaska. [47] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ombrina | Italy | The tanker collided with a swing bridge and a yacht at Sète, France. She was holed and her cargo of avgas and petrol was set alight by a lighted gas cooker on board the yacht Bambula ( United Kingdom), which caught fire and sank. The fire also spread to three other ships, Jacques Schiaffino and Tessala (both France) and Stilbe ( Morocco). USS Fort Mandan ( United States Navy) assisted firemen from Montpellier and Sète in fighting the fires. One of the four crew of Bambula and two of the crew of Ombrina were killed, with a further two crew from the latter ship seriously injured. [48] |
Rio Altro | Colombia | The cargo ship caught fire, exploded and sank in the Caribbean with the loss of up to five crew. Essen ( West Germany) rescued 38 survivors and landed them at Cristóbal, Panama Canal Zone. [49] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Beaverbank | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Fanning Island, Gilbert and Ellice Islands. [50] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
St Ronan | United Kingdom | The coaster was in the English Channel when she was struck by Mount Athos ( Greece) and sliced in two. Both halves sank. Three of her ten crew were lost, with the survivors being rescued by Mount Athos and landed at Dover, Kent. [51] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
ICGV Hermadur | Icelandic Coast Guard | The patrol vessel sank. [52] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Tyee | United States | The 16-gross register ton, 39-foot (11.9 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at Anan Creek ( 56°10′50″N131°53′05″W / 56.18056°N 131.88472°W ) in Ernest Sound in Southeast Alaska. [53] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
HMS Upstart | Royal Navy | The U-class submarine was sunk as a target off the Isle of Wight. |
Rivergate | United Kingdom | The schooner capsized and sank off the Inner Dowsing Light Vessel ( Trinity House ). She was on a voyage from London to Goole, Yorkshire. [55] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Queen Kathleen | Canada | The fishing vessel was wrecked on rocks in the Aleutian Islands west of Unimak Pass. The vessel Western Pioneer ( United States) rescued her entire crew of eight. [56] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Porfico No. 1 | United States | The 9-gross register ton, 31.1-foot (9.5 m) motor vessel was destroyed by fire at Ninilchik, Alaska. [25] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
National Peace | United States | The T2 tanker ran aground on Kiltan Island, in the Laccadive Islands, India and was abandoned. [57] Refloated in 1962, subsequently scrapped. [58] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Elinor D | United States | The 9-gross register ton, 29-foot (8.8 m) fishing vessel was destroyed at Ketchikan, Alaska, by a fire that began when she suffered an explosion as her owner turned the ignition key to start her gasoline engine. [59] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Micho | United States | The 21-gross register ton, 34.4-foot (10.5 m) cargo vessel was destroyed by fire in Smeaton Bay ( 55°19′N130°54′W / 55.317°N 130.900°W ) in Southeast Alaska. [60] |
Pilar II | Philippines | The passenger ship foundered 300 nautical miles (560 km) south of Palawan. There were eleven survivors from the 100 people on board. [61] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Naranco | Spain | The coaster collided with Goldstone ( Panama) in the English Channel off Dungeness, Kent and sank with the loss of one of her 22 crew. [62] |
Staxton Wyke | United Kingdom | The trawler was in collision with Dalhanna ( United Kingdom) and sank 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire with the loss of five of her 21 crew. The sixteen survivors were rescued by Dalhanna. [63] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Gerontas | Panama | The Liberty ship ran aground at Gdynia, Poland. She was later refloated but was declared a constructive total loss and scrapped. [64] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Newington | Canada | The tugboat sank while laid up at Burrard Inlet, British Columbia. [65] [66] [67] |
Wonder Girl | United States | The 16-gross register ton, 35-foot (10.7 m) fishing vessel sank near False Pass, Alaska. [68] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Glen Usk | United Kingdom | The passenger ship ran aground in the River Avon. Refloated the next day. [69] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Comet | United States | The 41-gross register ton, 56-foot (17.1 m) motor cargo vessel was wrecked near Kodiak, Alaska. [26] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Hilda | United States | The 10-ton, 36.5-foot (11.1 m) fishing vessel near Saint John Harbor ( 56°27′00″N132°57′30″W / 56.45000°N 132.95833°W ) on Zarembo Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [70] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Empire Oberon | United Kingdom | The tug sank at Akra, India. The wreck was dispersed by explosives in October. [72] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Putco-2 | United States | The 90-gross register ton, 70.1-foot (21.4 m) barge was wrecked near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. [25] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Sukie | United States | The 20-gross register ton, 40-foot (12.2 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in the Duncan Canal in Southeast Alaska. [73] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Jezebel | United Kingdom | The schooner sank off Penmon Point, Beaumaris. All six people on board rescued. [74] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Changsha | Australia | Typhoon Vera: The passenger ship was driven aground at Yokkaichi, Japan. [75] |
Tjitjalengka | Netherlands | Typhoon Vera: The passenger ship was driven aground near Nagoya, Japan. [76] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
M-252 | Soviet Navy | The submarine ran aground in the Tatar Strait with the loss of several lives. She was later refloated. [77] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
NRP Comandante Celestino Silva | Portuguese Navy | The air-sea rescue vessel foundered between Madeira and Lisbon. Crew rescued by the corvette NRP Santa Maria ( Portuguese Navy). [78] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Deniz | Turkey | The ship was boarded by crew from HMS Burnaston ( Royal Navy) off Cyprus and ammunition was discovered on board. Three crew were arrested, but the vessel was scuttled. [79] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ruth Ann | United States | The 135-gross register ton, 107.3-foot (32.7 m) fishing vessel sank at Woronkofski Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [20] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Hindlea | United Kingdom | The coaster was driven ashore in Moelfre Bay and was abandoned by her crew. She was looted by the local inhabitants and was declared a total loss. [80] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Rayland | United States | The 34-ton motor vessel was destroyed by fire in Valdez Arm ( 60°53′N146°54′W / 60.883°N 146.900°W ) on the south-central coast of Alaska. [20] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Hindlea | United Kingdom | The coaster was driven ashore and wrecked. Her crew were rescued by the HolyHead Lifeboat. [81] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Lough Fisher | United Kingdom | The coaster ran aground at the southern tip of Öland, Sweden. [82] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
HDMS Hjælperen | Royal Danish Navy | The torpedo boat tender collided with the cargo ship Ceres ( Finland) at Copenhagen and was severely damaged. [83] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
President Reiz | United Kingdom | The tanker ran aground at Oslo, Norway and was holed. [84] |
Tanar | Turkey | The cargo ship was in collision with Kharkov ( Soviet Union) and sank in the North Sea. All crew rescued by Kharkov. [84] [85] Kharkov was arrested on arrival at Bremen, West Germany. [85] |
Wansbeck | United Kingdom | The coaster caught fire at Ghent, Belgium. One crewmember was killed. [84] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Holmglen | New Zealand | The cargo ship sank off Timaru with the loss of 15 lives. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Hindlea | United Kingdom | The coaster was driven ashore in Moelfre Bay, Anglesey and broke in two, a total loss. [86] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Braemar Castle | United Kingdom | The ocean liner was driven ashore at Gibraltar in a gale. Refloated the next day. [87] [88] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Parks No. 3 | United States | A storm destroyed the 7-gross register ton, 29.5-foot (9.0 m) fishing vessel off Tonki Cape ( 58°21′N151°59′W / 58.350°N 151.983°W ) on Afognak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. [25] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Tillikum | United States | The 26-gross register ton, 47-foot (14.3 m) fishing vessel sank near Dundas Island, British Columbia, Canada. [53] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
George Robb | United Kingdom | The fishing vessel ran aground at Duncansby Head, Scotland, with the loss of all 12 crew. [89] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Servus | United Kingdom | The motor vessel ran aground below Dunbeath Castle, Scotland. All crew rescued by lifeboat. [90] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
RNLB Mona (ON 775) | United Kingdom | The lifeboat capsized out of Broughty Ferry, Scotland, with the loss of all eight crew. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Elfrida | Norway | The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank off Stavanger. She was on a voyage from Archangelsk, Soviet Union to a Danish port. [13] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Argus | United States | The 30-gross register ton, 41.6-foot (12.7 m) fishing vessel was wrecked on Tilson Island ( 57°03′N135°20′W / 57.050°N 135.333°W ) in Southeast Alaska approximately four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) west of Sitka, Alaska. [37] |
Eastern Lucky | Panama | The steamer sprang a leak and sank off Formosa. All 43 crew rescued by the steamer Tyne Breeze ( Hong Kong). |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
HMS Cleveland | Royal Navy | The wreck of the Hunt-class destroyer, stranded at Llangennith, Glamorgan, Wales, since 28 June 1957, was blown up after being stripped. |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Lew-Al | United States | The 17-gross register ton, 36.3-foot (11.1 m) fishing vessel was wrecked in the lower part of Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of Alaska. [34] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Valley Forge | United States | The Liberty ship ran aground off Mapor Island, Singapore, and broke in two, a total loss. [93] |
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Esmeraldo County | United States Navy | The decommissioned LST-542-class tank landing ship was sunk as a target. |
ROKS Kang Wha | Republic of Korea Navy | The YMS-1-class coastal minesweeper was sunk. [94] [95] |
Kimball | United States | The 20-gross register ton, 37.7-foot (11.5 m) motor cargo vessel was destroyed by fire in Knudsen Cove ( 55°28′30″N131°48′00″W / 55.47500°N 131.80000°W ) in Southeast Alaska. [47] |
Kwinana | Australia | The hulk of the passenger-cargo ship, aground 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Rockingham, Western Australia, since 29 May 1922 and partly destroyed by explosive charges on 2 May 1941, was cut down to water level. |
Paramount | United States | The 42-gross register ton, 58.6-foot (17.9 m) fishing vessel sank in Frederick Sound in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [25] |
Roosevelt II | United States | The 108-foot (33 m), 126-gross register ton ferry was scuttled in Lake Champlain sometime in 1959. [96] |
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