List of shipwrecks in 1968

The list of shipwrecks in 1968 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1968.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

table of contents

←  1967 1968 1969  →
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date
References

January

1 January

List of shipwrecks: 1 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Attu	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire on the beach at Skagway, Alaska. [1]
Denver	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire at Juneau, Alaska. [2]
Seattle	United States	The 1,357-ton barge was destroyed by fire at Ugashik, Alaska. [3]

3 January

List of shipwrecks: 3 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Ioannis K	Greece	The Liberty ship was wrecked on the coast of Vietnam ( 10°19′23″N107°05′11″E / 10.32306°N 107.08639°E / 10.32306; 107.08639 ). [4]
Schiedyk	Netherlands	The freighter sank off Bligh Island, Nootka Sound, Canada after hitting a submerged rock. She began leaking oil fuel in 2020. [5]

7 January

List of shipwrecks: 7 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Abercrombie	United States Navy	The decommissioned John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California, by the ships and aircraft of the USS Bon Homme Richard carrier battle group (  United States Navy).

9 January

List of shipwrecks: 9 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
USCGC Coos Bay	United States   Coast Guard	Coos Bay sinking. The decommissioned Casco-class cutter was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean 120 nautical miles (220 km; 140 mi) off the coast of Virginia by the guided-missile destroyer USS Claude V. Ricketts (  United States Navy), one other U.S. Navy ship, and 35 aircraft.

11 January

List of shipwrecks: 11 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
St Romanus	United Kingdom	The trawler issued a mayday on this date which was heard but not responded to. Lost with all twenty crew.
Unidentified fishing vessel	South Korea	The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk by North Korean ships. [6]

13 January

List of shipwrecks: 13 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Saxona	Canada	The steamer sank in the Atlantic Ocean ( 39°42′N30°36′W / 39.700°N 30.600°W / 39.700; -30.600 ) while being towed to Italy for scrapping. [7]

14 January

List of shipwrecks: 14 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Bristol Queen	United Kingdom	The paddle steamer was run into by the tanker Geodor (  Liberia) at Cardiff, Glamorgan. She was severely damaged and was consequently scrapped. [8]

15 January

List of shipwrecks: 15 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Cessnock	United Kingdom	The dredger capsized and sank in the River Clyde during a storm. Three crew were killed. [9]

16 January

List of shipwrecks: 16 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Balkan	Bulgaria	The cargo ship ran aground at Lattakia, Syria. She was on a voyage from Bourgas to Lattakia. She was refloated on 24 July but was consequently scrapped. [10]

18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Little Joe	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire in Seal Bay on the coast of Alaska. The wreck report did not specify in which of many Seal Bays along the Alaskan coast the incident took place. [11]

22 January

List of shipwrecks: 22 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Elpis	Greece	The coaster sank between Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from London, United Kingdom to Hamburg, West Germany. [12]

23 January

List of shipwrecks: 23 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
INS Dakar	Israeli Navy	The Leviathan-class submarine disappeared in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on her delivery voyage to Israel. Claims that Assyout ( United Arab Republic Navy) sank her with depth charges are disputed by Israel.

26 January

List of shipwrecks: 26 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Kingston Peridot	United Kingdom	The trawler was last reported off Iceland on this date, lost with all twenty crew.

27 January

List of shipwrecks: 27 January 1968

Ship	State	Description
Minerve	French Navy	The Daphné-class submarine sank in the Mediterranean Sea about 25 nautical miles (46 km; 29 mi) from Toulon, France, with the loss of her entire crew of 52. Wreck found 2019. [13]

February

4 February

List of shipwrecks: 4 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Ross Cleveland	United Kingdom	The trawler capsized and sank off Isafjordur, Iceland with the loss of eighteen of her nineteen crew.

5 February

List of shipwrecks: 5 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Pacific Fir	Hong Kong	The cargo ship sprang a leak in the South China Sea 75 nautical miles (139 km; 86 mi) east of Tai Tung, Taiwan. ( 22°37′N121°42′E / 22.617°N 121.700°E / 22.617; 121.700 ) and was abandoned. Beached at Koto Soh but broke in two, a total loss. [14]

6 February

List of shipwrecks: 6 February 1968

Ship	State	Description {{shipwreck list item	ship=USS Bache	flag=  United States Navy	desc= USS Bache aground. The Fletcher-class destroyer was blown ashore by a gale outside the harbor at Rhodes in the Aegean Sea during a three-day port call there. Deemed a constructive total loss, she was decommissioned and scrapped in situ. [15]

10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Charny	Canada	Charny began taking on water in one hold during a storm while on a voyage from Canada to Haiti. The vessel sank but all 24 people on board were rescued.[ citation needed ]

13 February

List of shipwrecks: 13 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Spyridon	Greece	Spyridon sinking A fire erupted aboard the cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea. She sank in the late afternoon. The U.S. Navy ammunition ship USS Suribachi received an SOS call at 0916 hrs and arrived on scene at 1555 hrs. Three Greek merchant ships and a Soviet Kashin-class guided missile destroyer also responded to the call. The crew was rescued by the Greek ships.[ citation needed ]

15 February

List of shipwrecks: 15 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Delfini	Panama	The Liberty ship was driven ashore near Osaka, Japan. [16]

18 February

List of shipwrecks: 18 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Mount Hope	United States	After entering shallow water in Narragansett Bay off the coast of Rhode Island during a storm, the 118-foot (36 m), 156-gross register ton tug struck an unidentified object and sank quickly in 20 feet (6.1 m) of water just south of Hope Island at 41°35.53′N071°22.79′W / 41.59217°N 71.37983°W / 41.59217; -71.37983 (Mount Hope) without loss of life. [17]

19 February

List of shipwrecks: 19 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Capitaine Frangos	Panama	The cargo ship sank after colliding with an unidentified ship at the entrance to the Dardanelles, Turkey. Fifteen of her twenty crew were killed. [18]

20 February

List of shipwrecks: 20 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Saufley	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Key West, Florida.

22 February

List of shipwrecks: 22 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Parvati Jayanti	India	The Liberty ship ran aground near Casablanca, Morocco. She was later refloated but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped. [4]

25 February

List of shipwrecks: 25 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
British Crusader	United Kingdom	The tanker ran aground in the Panama Canal, blocking it. [19]

26 February

List of shipwrecks: 26 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Shozan Maru	Japan	The bulk carrier struck a rock in the Panama Canal and sank. Refloated the following day. [20]

27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Archon Raphael	Panama	The Liberty ship sank near Djibouti City. [21]

29 February

List of shipwrecks: 29 February 1968

Ship	State	Description
Chirikof	United States	The crab-fishing vessel sank off Alaska′s Kodiak Island. Her crew of three abandoned ship in a skiff without oars. The cargo ship Chena (  United States) found them adrift on 1 March, but they were too weak from hypothermia to climb her Jacob's ladder. Subsequently the medium endurance cutter USCGC Confidence ( United States Coast Guard) arrived on the scene and rescued them. [22]

March

1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Bayonne	United States Navy	The decommissioned Tacoma-class patrol frigate was sunk as a target.
C-165	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawler was sunk off South Vietnam when her cargo exploded when the high endurance cutter USCGC Winona ( United States Coast Guard) hit her with gunfire. [23]
C-235	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawler was sunk off South Vietnam when her cargo exploded when the patrol craft fast USS PCF-14 (  United States Navy) hit her with gunire, or was blown up by a scuttling charge. Her commanding officer and one other member of her crew later were killed by South Vietnamese troops in a firefight ashore. [23]
C-43B	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawler was beached after being shelled by U.S. ships, then scuttled with demolition charges. Three members of her crew were killed and her commanding officer and executive officer were wounded. [23]

3 March

List of shipwrecks: 3 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Ocean Eagle	Liberia	USS Preserver with the sunken Ocean Eagle off Puerto Rico, 1968. The tanker ran aground at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Later broke in two, a total loss. [24]

6 March

List of shipwrecks: 6 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Antonios Michalos	Greece	The cargo ship struck a submerged object at Brăila, Romania and ran aground. Refloated but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped in May 1969. [25]

8 March

List of shipwrecks: 8 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
K-129	Soviet Navy	The Golf II-class ballistic missile submarine sank in the Pacific Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) southwest of Hawaii with the loss of all 98 crew members. [26]

9 March

List of shipwrecks: 9 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Universal Trader	Liberia	The Liberty ship ran aground on the coast of Ceylon ( 6°24′N81°47′E / 6.400°N 81.783°E / 6.400; 81.783 ), caught fire and was abandoned. She broke in two on 18 March, a total loss. [27]

10 March

List of shipwrecks: 10 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Hi Krooyer	Denmark	The coaster sank 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) south of Sule Skerry, Orkney Islands following and on-board explosion. One of her five crew was killed. [28]

14 March

List of shipwrecks: 14 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Four unidentified naval trawlers	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawlers were sunk by U.S. aircraft off the coast of South Vietnam. [29]
Unidentified naval trawler	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawler sunk by gunfire off the coast of South Vietnam by the cutter USCGC Point Ellis ( United States Coast Guard) and the radar picket escort vessel USS Brister and patrol craft fast USS PCF-78 (both   United States Navy). [29]
Four unidentified naval trawlers	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawlers were beached at Trieu Phong, South Vietnam, to facilitate unloading and then scuttled. [29]
Three unidentified naval trawlers	Vietnam People's Navy	Vietnam War: Tet Offensive: The blockade-running naval trawlers were beached at Gio Linh, South Vietnam, to facilitate unloading and then scuttled. [29]

20 March

List of shipwrecks: 20 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Elisabethville	Belgium	Caught fire at Antwerp, declared a constructive total loss. Scrapped in January 1969. [30]

23 March

List of shipwrecks: 23 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Akutan	United States	The motor vessel was wrecked at Kodiak, Alaska. [1]

29 March

List of shipwrecks: 29 March 1968

Ship	State	Description
Jupiter	Liberia	The Liberty ship ran aground at Cabo San Lázaro, Mexico ( 24°47′N112°19′W / 24.783°N 112.317°W / 24.783; -112.317 ) and was abandoned. [21] [31]

April

7 April

List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Capitàn Leonidas	Chile	Wreck of Capitàn Leonidas in 1989 The ship was deliberately grounded in Messier Channel, Chile, on 7 April 1968 while on a voyage from Santos to Valparaiso with sugar. The captain wanted to sink the ship for an insurance fraud. However, the ship was only grounded. It was originally the Norwegian-flagged MV Molda, built in Bremen, Germany in 1937.

9 April

List of shipwrecks: 9 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Belgion	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground off Tripoli, Libya. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Lattakia. She was refloated but declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped. [32]

10 April

List of shipwrecks: 10 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Wahine	New Zealand	Salvage of TEV Wahine The New Zealand inter-island ro-ro ferry of the Union Company, foundered on Barrett Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour and capsized near Steeple Rock. Of the 610 passengers and 123 crew on board, 53 were killed.

12 April

List of shipwrecks: 12 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
M P E 110	United States	The motor vessel sank off Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of Alaska. [33]

21 April

List of shipwrecks: 21 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Lambda 72	Cuba	The fishing vessel was sunk by a Cuban-exile-operated speedboat. [34]
Lambda 100	Cuba	The fishing vessel was sunk by a Cuban-exile-operated speedboat. [34]

22 April

List of shipwrecks: 22 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Alhelli	Lebanon	The Liberty ship sprang a leak and was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. She sank on 24 April at 33°15′N45°50′W / 33.250°N 45.833°W / 33.250; -45.833 . [35]

30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1968

Ship	State	Description
Brandaris	Netherlands	The coaster sank in the Bay of Biscay 80 nautical miles (150 km) west of the mouth of the Gironde. All crew rescued by a Spanish trawler. [36]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date April 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Motive	United States Navy	The decommissioned Auk-class minesweeper was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean by elements of the United States Pacific Fleet.

May

6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1968

Ship	State	Description
Cutral Co	Argentina	The tanker burned and sank at Ensenada, Argentina, after burning oil from the tanker Islas Orcadas (  Argentina) spread to her and set her on fire. [37]
Fray Luis Beltran	Argentina	The tanker burned and sank at Ensenada, Argentina, after burning oil from the tanker Islas Orcadas (  Argentina) spread to her and set her on fire. [37]
Islas Orcadas	Argentina	The tanker suffered an explosion, caught fire, and sank at Ensenada, Argentina. [37]

8 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1968

Ship	State	Description
Inverrosa	United Kingdom	The ore carrier ran aground off Boca Ralon, Florida, United States. She was refloated on 23 May, subsequently laid up and scrapped. [38] Inverrosa shipwreck, Boca Raton, Florida (May 1968) Inverrosa shipwreck, Boca Raton, Florida (May 1968)

10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1968

Ship	State	Description
Gero Miklaos	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground in a cyclone at Akyab, Burma and broke up, a total loss. [39]

17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1968

Ship	State	Description
Alert	United States	The motor vessel was wrecked at Point Couverden ( 58°11′25″N135°03′10″W / 58.19028°N 135.05278°W / 58.19028; -135.05278 (Point Couverden) ) in Southeast Alaska. [1]

21 May

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date May 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Scorpion	United States Navy	Bow section of Scorpion on the ocean bottom, photographed by the bathyscaphe Trieste II. The Skipjack-class submarine sank in the Atlantic Ocean about 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) southwest of the Azores on or after this date with the loss of her entire crew of 99.

June

3 June

List of shipwrecks: 3 June 1968

Ship	State	Description
Kostis	Greece	The Liberty ship ran aground south of Dakar, Senegal 11°18′N16°48′W / 11.300°N 16.800°W / 11.300; -16.800 , a total loss. [40]

14 June

List of shipwrecks: 14 June 1968

Ship	State	Description
World Glory	Greece	The tanker broke in two off the coast of Natal in a storm. Both sections sank. [41]

17 June

List of shipwrecks: 17 June 1968

Ship	State	Description
Pan 60	United States	The gillnet fishing vessel was destroyed near the False Pass entrance to the Bering Sea by a fire in her galley that went out of control. The only person aboard barely survived by jumping overboard just before a 300-US-gallon (1,100 L; 250 imp gal) gasoline tank exploded and swimming 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) to shore in heavy clothing and rubber boots. [42]

29 June

List of shipwrecks: 29 June 1968

Ship	State	Description
John D	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire near the small-boat harbor in Homer, Alaska. [43]

30 June

List of shipwrecks: 30 June 1968

Ship	State	Description
Riachuelo	Brazilian Navy	The decommissioned Gato-class submarine was sunk as a target on or about this date.

July

5 July

List of shipwrecks: 5 July 1968

Ship	State	Description
Southern Exposure	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire in the Gulf of Alaska 190 nautical miles (350 km; 220 mi) miles east of Cape Chiniak ( 57°37′N152°10′W / 57.617°N 152.167°W / 57.617; -152.167 (Cape Chiniak) ) on Kodiak Island. [3]

9 July

List of shipwrecks: 9 July 1968

Ship	State	Description
Humaitá	Brazilian Navy	The decommissioned Gato-class submarine was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island, New York, United States by United States Navy vessels.

19 July

List of shipwrecks: 19 July 1968

Ship	State	Description
Magsaysay	Philippines	The cargo ship caught fire in the South China Sea off South Korea and was abandoned. She was on a voyage from the Philippines to Inchon, South Korea. Magsaysay was later reboarded. Shetowed into Pusan but was declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped. [44]

23 July

List of shipwrecks: 23 July 1968

Ship	State	Description
USCGC Mackinac	United States   Coast Guard	The decommissioned Casco-class cutter was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean at 36°22′00″N073°09′00″W / 36.36667°N 73.15000°W / 36.36667; -73.15000 by the heavy cruiser USS Newport News, the guided-missile light cruiser USS Springfield, the guided-missile frigate USS King, and the destroyer USS New (all   United States Navy).

August

3 August

List of shipwrecks: 3 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
B B 6	United States	The 7-ton gasoline-powered screw fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at the Alitak Cannery at Akhiok (also known as Alitak), Alaska. [45]
Lula II	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire at the Alitak Cannery at Akhiok, Alaska. [11]

5 August

List of shipwrecks: 5 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Walworth	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire off Sumner Strait in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [46]

9 August

List of shipwrecks: 9 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Sealady	United States	The bulk carrier was holed by USS Von Steuben (  United States Navy) in the Atlantic Ocean ( 36°34′N6°16′W / 36.567°N 6.267°W / 36.567; -6.267 ). She was beached in Cádiz Bay and abandoned. [40]

13 August

List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Lila Ki	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire at Twin Points ( 57°54′45″N133°59′30″W / 57.91250°N 133.99167°W / 57.91250; -133.99167 (Twin Points) ) in Stephens Passage in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [11]

14 August

List of shipwrecks: 14 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Devilfish	United States Navy	The sinking of Devilfish. The decommissioned Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target by a Mark 16 MOD 8 torpedo fired by the submarine USS Wahoo (  United States Navy) in the Pacific Ocean off San Francisco, California, at 37°05′N124°08′W / 37.083°N 124.133°W / 37.083; -124.133 ("USS Devilfish (SS-292)") .

16 August

List of shipwrecks: 16 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Brownie	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire in Tonki Bay ( 58°20′N152°04′W / 58.333°N 152.067°W / 58.333; -152.067 (Tonki Bay) ) on the coast of Afognak Island in Alaska′s Kodiak Archipelago. [47]

17 August

List of shipwrecks: 17 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Traw	United States Navy	The decommissioned John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a gunnery target off Baja California, Mexico, by the destroyer USS Bausell (  United States Navy).

20 August

List of shipwrecks: 20 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Whistler	United States	A tsunami destroyed the motor vessel off of Kokinhenik Bar on the Copper River Delta in Alaska. [46]

21 August

List of shipwrecks: 21 August 1965

Ship	State	Description
Captain G	Panama	The Liberty ship foundered in a typhoon ( 22°24′N114°55′E / 22.400°N 114.917°E / 22.400; 114.917 ). [4]

22 August

List of shipwrecks: 22 August 1965

Ship	State	Description
Amaryllis	Panama	The cargo ship, refloated after running aground in September 1965, is scuttled 0.75 miles (1.21 km) off Riviera Beach, Florida, to form an artificial reef.

23 August

List of shipwrecks: 23 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Southern Foster	United Kingdom	The 438  GRT steam-powered whaler foundered and was lost off South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. [48]

27 August

List of shipwrecks: 27 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Plover	United States	The motor vessel was wrecked off Point Stanhope Island ( 56°00′50″N132°36′10″W / 56.01389°N 132.60278°W / 56.01389; -132.60278 (Point Stanhope Island) ) off the west coast of Etolin Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. [42]

31 August

List of shipwrecks: 31 August 1968

Ship	State	Description
Willi Bansch	Volksmarine	The 183/1 (Project 183)-class motor torpedo boat was sunk in a collision in heavy fog with Drottingen (  Sweden). Seven crewmen killed. [49]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date August 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Condor	United States Navy	The decommissioned YMS-1-class minesweeper of the YMS-135 subclass was sunk as a target.

September

1 September

List of shipwrecks: 1 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Cabo Santa Maria	Spain	The cargo ship ran aground at Praia de Atalanta, Cape Verde and was wrecked. [50]
Peter Pan	United States	The motor vessel was lost off Kodiak Island, Alaska. [42]

5 September

List of shipwrecks: 5 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Atlantic	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire at Cape Spencer in Southeast Alaska. [1]

8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Isabella Baldwin	United Kingdom	The survey ship struck a wreck in Da Nang harbour, South Vietnam, and sank. All 12 crew members were rescued by a United States Navy vessel. [51]

9 September

List of shipwrecks: 9 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Ruthy Ann	United Kingdom	The cargo ship collided with Cuu Long (  South Vietnam) in a typhoon at Haiphong, North Vietnam and then ran aground. She was refloated on 30 September and found to be severely damaged. Subsequently repaired and returned to service. [52]

10 September

List of shipwrecks: 10 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Helen J	United States	The motor vessel sank on the south-central coast of Alaska near Icy Bay, northwest of Yakutat. [53]

16 September

List of shipwrecks: 16 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Babs	United States	The motor vessel sank in Cook Inlet near Anchorage, Alaska. [47]

23 September

List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Hongkong Star	Panama	The cargo ship foundered. [54] [55]

27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Marsha Ann	United States	The motor vessel was lost off Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands. [33]

29 September

List of shipwrecks: 29 September 1968

Ship	State	Description
Polyxeni	Somalia	The cargo ship struck a submerged object and sprang a leak. She was on a voyage from Sundsvall, Norway to Calcutta, India. She was beached the next day at Port Dauphiné, Madagascar, where she became a total loss. [56]

October

1 October

List of shipwrecks: 1 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Carmen B	United States	The motor vessel was destroyed by fire at False Pass, Alaska. [22]

5 October

List of shipwrecks: 5 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Evie	United States	The motor vessel sank off Point Stanhope ( 56°00′50″N132°36′10″W / 56.01389°N 132.60278°W / 56.01389; -132.60278 (Point Stanhope) ) in Southeast Alaska. [57]

10 October

List of shipwrecks: 10 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Dumaguete	Philippines	The ferry sank near Zamboanga, Mindanao. Only eleven survivors of between 300 and 500 people on board. [58]

15 October

List of shipwrecks: 15 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
E Evangelia	Greece	The wreck of E Evangelica in January 2008. The cargo ship ran aground in the Black Sea off Constanţa, Romania ( 43°58′N28°39′E / 43.967°N 28.650°E / 43.967; 28.650 ). Declared a constructive total loss. [59]

16 October

List of shipwrecks: 16 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Alvin	United States	The sunken Alvin photographed on the ocean bottom in June 1969. The deep submergence vehicle sank in the Atlantic Ocean at approximately 39°53′30″N069°15′30″W / 39.89167°N 69.25833°W / 39.89167; -69.25833 ("DSV Alvin") , about 88 nautical miles (163 km) south of Nantucket Island, when steel cables lowering her over the side of the research ship Lulu snapped and she fell into the water with her hatch open. All three crew members escaped. Alvin was refloated in September 1969, overhauled, and returned to service. [60]

19 October

List of shipwrecks: 19 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Archerfish	United States Navy	The Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California by the submarine USS Snook (  United States Navy).

21 October

List of shipwrecks: 21 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Paso Tiempo	United States	The motor vessel sank in Thorne Arm ( 57°56′N152°50′W / 57.933°N 152.833°W / 57.933; -152.833 (Whale Pass) ) on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. [42]
Sitakund	Norway	The tanker exploded and sank 17 nautical miles (31 km) south of Eastbourne, Sussex with the loss of three crew. Thirty-nine crew saved by the Eastbourne Lifeboat Beryl Tollemache ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and the frigate HMS Mohawk (  Royal Navy). [61] [62]

31 October

List of shipwrecks: 31 October 1968

Ship	State	Description
Etnefjell	Norway	The second Norwegian tanker in ten days to have an explosion and fire evacuated 29 members of its crew into two lifeboats, 350 nautical miles (650 km; 400 mi) southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland The master, chief mate and first engineer remained behind, and were four days later by USCGC Absecon (  United States Coast Guard). One man was found dead on the ship; the lifeboats were never located after a 10-day search. [63] [64]

November

3 November

List of shipwrecks: 3 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
Sacrum Cor	Italy	The cargo ship sank at Vado during a storm. [65]

7 November

List of shipwrecks: 7 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
Newglade	United Kingdom	The cargo ship caught fire at Kynosoura, Greece. She was beached in Ambelaki Bay. She was refloated on 19 November and found to be severely damaged. Consequently scrapped. [66]

11 November

List of shipwrecks: 11 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
Empire Ace	United Kingdom	The Near-Warrior type tug ran aground off Campbeltown, Argyllshire. She was refloated in June 1969 but was declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped. [67]
Steepholm	United Kingdom	She was wrecked off South Wales. Four crewmen of the sand dredger were saved by the Atlantic College lifeboat and the Porthcawl lifeboat in partnership with the Mumbles lifeboat.

15 November

List of shipwrecks: 15 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
YC-21	United Kingdom	The barge sank off Hoy, Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, while salvaging the wreck of F-2 (  Kriegsmarine). [68] [69]

24 November

List of shipwrecks: 24 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
Celtic	United States	The 57-gross register ton, 65.5-foot (20.0 m) fishing vessel was wrecked in Ouzinkie Narrows ( 57°54′37″N152°30′31″W / 57.9103°N 152.5086°W / 57.9103; -152.5086 (Ouzinkie Narrows) ) on the southeast end of Spruce Island ( 57°55′30″N152°29′50″W / 57.92500°N 152.49722°W / 57.92500; -152.49722 (Spruce Island) ) in Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago. [22]
Dumbo	Panama	The Tudor-Queen-class coaster was driven ashore at Las Palmas, Spain. She was declared a constructive total loss. [70]

28 November

List of shipwrecks: 28 November 1968

Ship	State	Description
Review	United States	A storm destroyed the motor vessel at Ketchikan, Alaska. [71]

December

7 December

List of shipwrecks: 7 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
USCGC White Alder	United States Coast Guard	The buoy tender was sunk in a collision with the motor vessel Helena (  Taiwan) in the Mississippi River near White Castle, Louisiana. Only three of her 20 crewmen survived. [72]

8 December

List of shipwrecks: 8 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
USS Jesse Rutherford	United States Navy	The decommissioned John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean off California.

12 December

List of shipwrecks: 12 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
North Sea	United States	The crab-fishing vessel was wrecked in the Aleutian Islands on the northwest coast of Unimak Island near Cape Sarichef with the loss of three lives Her sole survivors was rescued by United States Coast Guard personnel. [73]

19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
Gold Sky	Panama	The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) off Gibraltar. The crew were rescued by Otto Leonhardt (  West Germany). Her insurers alleged that she had been scuttled. A court hearing decided that, on the balance of probabilities, she had been. [74]

21 December

List of shipwrecks: 21 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
Sea Ermine	United States	The crab-fishing vessel was wrecked on Marmot Island in the Kodiak Archipelago near Kodiak, Alaska. The United States Coast Guard rescued all five people on board. [3]

22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
Federal Queen	United Kingdom	The schooner capsized and sank off Canouan Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Forty-one of the 79 people on board were killed. [75]
Helisoma	United Kingdom	The tanker struck a Vietcong mine in a South Vietnamese port and was damaged. [76]

24 December

List of shipwrecks: 24 December 1968

Ship	State	Description
Azuero	Panama	The Liberty ship ran aground in the Gironde and broke in two, a total loss. [77]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in December 1968

Ship	State	Description
Bulby	South Africa	The fishing trawler was scuttled off the coast of South Africa. [78]
Marinda	South Africa	The fishing trawler was scuttled off the coast of South Africa. [79]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1968

Ship	State	Description
Beaver	United States	The 14-gross register ton, 42-foot (12.8 m) motor cargo vessel was destroyed by a storm at Lake Minchumina in central Alaska during or before 1968. [47]
ARA Comodoro Augusto Lasserre	Argentine Navy	The survey ship ran aground near Lion Island in the Palmer Archipelago off the Antarctic Peninsula. She was later refloated.
USCGC Dexter	United States Coast Guard	The decommissioned Casco-class cutter was sunk as a target by the United States Navy.
Manchester Miller	United Kingdom	The cargo liner caught fire and sank at New York, United States. Subsequently refloated, repaired and returned to service. [80]
Matrouh	United Arab Republic Navy	The corvette sank in 1968 or 1969. [81]

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Sources

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• Sawyer, L. A.; Mitchell, W. H. (1985). The Liberty Ships (Second ed.). London: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN   1-85044-049-2.