The list of shipwrecks in 1997 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1997.
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | |
May | Jun | Jul | Aug | |
Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
Unknown date | ||||
References |
January
1 January
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Debra D | ![]() | With no one aboard, the 182-gross ton, 101.6-foot (31.0 m) fishing vessel caught fire while moored at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fire destroyed her bridge and accommodation spaces, and she was declared a constructive total loss. She later was completely rebuilt and placed back in service.[1] |
18 January
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Pacific Alliance | ![]() | The crab-fishing vessel sank in bad weather with the loss of four lives off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.[2] |
21 January
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Sandra W | ![]() | The 49-foot (14.9 m) fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) east of Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. The fishing vessel Green Hope (![]() |
25 January
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Tolman | ![]() | The decommissioned fast minelayer, formerly a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer, was sunk as a target. |
30 January
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Rosie G | ![]() | The 80-foot (24.4 m) crab-fishing vessel sank due to a leaking crab tank in the Bering Sea approximately 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) northwest of Unalaska on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. The fishing vessel Handler (![]() |
February
12 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Jessie C | ![]() | The retired 65-foot (19.8 m) crew boat was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Holgate, New Jersey, at 39°28.501′N 074°11.631′W / 39.475017°N 74.193850°W.[5] |
13 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Tokio Express | ![]() | This container ship on a voyage from Rotterdam bound for New York was hit by a rogue wave about 20 miles (32 km) off Land's End (Cornwall). The ship righted herself and survived but lost 62 shipping containers overboard, one releasing just under 5 million Lego pieces.[6] |
18 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Magic Minnow | ![]() | The 32-foot (9.8 m) crab-fishing vessel was destroyed by an engine room explosion and fire in Gastineau Channel in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[7] |
19 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Lisa Jo | ![]() | The 82-foot (25.0 m) fishing vessel ran aground, capsized, and sank without loss of life in Akun Bay (54°15′N 165°30′W / 54.250°N 165.500°W) on the coast of Akun Island in the Aleutian Islands after her operator – who was the only person on board – fell asleep at her wheel.[8] |
27 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Picking | ![]() | The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target . |
28 February
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Jennie D | ![]() | The 35-foot (10.7 m) herring-fishing vessel ran aground and sank at Cape Paramanof (58°18′20″N 153°03′30″W / 58.30556°N 153.05833°W) on the coast of Afognak Island in Alaska′s Kodiak Archipelago after her engine failed. Her crew of two abandoned ship in a skiff and were rescued by the cutter USCGC Roanoke Island (![]() |
March
1 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Novic | ![]() | The 37-foot (11.3 m) longline cod-fishing vessel sank at English Bay, Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[10] |
5 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Vikartindur | ![]() | The container ship was beached on the south coast of Iceland. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped in situ. |
23 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Coral | ![]() | The 43-foot (13.1 m) longline fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[11] |
26 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Cita | ![]() | ![]() The cargo ship ran aground at Newfoundland Point, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. She subsequently sank. All seven crew were rescued. |
28 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Kateri i Radës | ![]() | Tragedy of Otranto: The motorboat was hit by Sibilia (![]() |
30 March
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Eight LTTE boats | ![]() | Sri Lankan Civil War: Action off Mullaitivu: One Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) explosive motorboat was shelled and blown up by SLNS Parakramabahu (![]() |
April
16 April
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Sea Mint | ![]() | The 54-foot (16 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. No one was aboard her at the time.[3] |
30 April
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
La Fidèle | ![]() | The La Prudente-class netlayer exploded and sank in the English Channel off Cherbourg, Seine-Maritime with the loss of five of her sixteen crew.[13] |
May
4 May
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
King Cruiser | ![]() | The ferry ran aground on the Anemone Reef, Andaman Sea, ten nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) off the Phi Phi Islands. All on board, in excess of 560 people, were rescued. |
9 May
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Beluga | ![]() | The 17-foot (5.2 m) pleasure craft was stranded on boulders on the coast of Cheval Island (59°46′N 149°31′W / 59.767°N 149.517°W) in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska. The four people aboard abandoned her and were rescued by a United States Coast Guard helicopter.[14] |
12 May
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Richard S. Edwards | ![]() | The decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was sunk as a target in Pacific Ocean off Kauai, Hawaii. |
16 May
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Trident | ![]() | The 26-foot (7.9 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. The only person on board survived.[15] |
29 May
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Columbia | ![]() | The 75-foot (22.9 m) fish tender was destroyed by an engine room fire off the Barren Islands off the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[11] |
June
11 June
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Rothenbach I | ![]() | The retired 165-foot (50.3 m) barge – previously the United States Navy non-self-propelled fuel oil barge YON-97 – was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean off Cape May, New Jersey, at 38°53.368′N 074°39.800′W / 38.889467°N 74.663333°W.[16] |
12 June
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Libra | ![]() | The retired 195-foot (59.4 m) gravel barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) off Ocean City, New Jersey, at 39°10.801′N 074°32.741′W / 39.180017°N 74.545683°W.[17] |
23 June
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Mark Christopher | ![]() | The 49-foot (14.9 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Southeast Alaska 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) west of Sitka, Alaska. Her entire crew of five survived.[7] |
Unknown date
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Kathy & Maria | ![]() | The retired 64-foot (19.5 m) barge was cut in half and the two halves were scuttled separately as artificial reefs in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) off Ocean City, New Jersey, on 22 and 23 June 1997. One half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Kathy," was scuttled at 39°10.719′N 074°33.259′W / 39.178650°N 74.554317°W. The other half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Maria," was scuttled at 39°10.814′N 074°33.044′W / 39.180233°N 74.550733°W.[18] |
July
2 July
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Diamond Grace | ![]() | The supertanker ran aground in Tokyo Bay four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Yokohama.[19] |
4 July
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Maurelle | ![]() | The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller suffered an explosion which ignited a fire that destroyed her off Southeast Alaska approximately 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) northwest of Cape Spencer. Her crew of three survived.[7] |
20 July
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Miss Mari | ![]() | The 28-foot (8.5 m) longline fishing vessel sank southwest of Elrington Island (60°00′N 148°03′W / 60.000°N 148.050°W) in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The fishing vessel Coho II (![]() |
Pasqualle | ![]() | The 32-foot (9.8 m) fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska west of Cape Fairweather (58°48′30″N 137°56′45″W / 58.80833°N 137.94583°W) on the coast of Southeast Alaska after gear shifted and caused her to flood. The only person aboard survived.[2] |
22 July
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Stoddard | ![]() | The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk in the Pacific Ocean 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) north-northwest of Kauai, Hawaii at 22°47′39.2″N 160°36′41″W / 22.794222°N 160.61139°W by explosive charges planted by SEAL Team One. |
26 July
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Quin Delta | ![]() | The 90-foot (27.4 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Bristol Bay off the coast of Alaska. Her crew of three abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by other fishing vessels.[20] |
August
2 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS Southerland | ![]() | The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a missile target in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 34°57′N 122°08′W / 34.950°N 122.133°W. |
7 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
ST-18 | ![]() | Secured to the sunken wreck of the tug Rockland County by a heavy hawser, the retired 242-foot (73.8 m) tanker barge was scuttled with demolition charges as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km; 4.1 mi) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, in 70 feet (21 m) of water at 40°07.930′N 073°55.942′W / 40.132167°N 73.932367°W. Her wreck is nicknamed "the Fisherman barge."[21] |
13 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Blue Fiord | ![]() | The 38-foot (11.6 m) salmon seiner sank off Evans Island in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska due to flooding caused by the failure of a circulation pump. Her crew of four survived.[14] |
Gail S | ![]() | The 80-foot (24.4 m) tug capsized and sank with the loss of one life in Bristol Bay approximately 130 miles (210 km) north of Cold Bay, Alaska, while towing a 240-foot (73.2 m) barge. Four crew members survived. The barge remained tethered to the sunken Gail S and was salvaged.[22] |
14 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Blue Ox | ![]() | The 32-foot (9.8 m) longline fishing vessel sank 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) southwest of Homer, Alaska. Her crew of three survived.[14] |
24 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Cry Havoc | ![]() | With no one on board, the 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Ugashik, Alaska.[11] |
Myrtle D | ![]() | The 33-foot (10.1 m) salmon troller was wrecked without loss of life at Elfin Cove, Alaska, after her operator fell asleep at her wheel.[7] |
25 August
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
South Wind | ![]() | The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Sand Point, Alaska. Her two crew members survived.[3] |
September
8 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Fierté Gondávienne | ![]() | The sailing vessel sank in the Windward Passage with the loss of up to 400 lives.[23] |
10 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Ronny | ![]() | With no one on board, the 46-foot (14.0 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Stepovak Bay (55°40′N 159°50′W / 55.667°N 159.833°W) on the Gulf of Alaska coast of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska.[4] |
15 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Jerry | ![]() | The retired 42-foot (12.8 m) tug was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 6.5 nautical miles (12.0 km; 7.5 mi) off Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, in 80 feet (24 m) of water at 39°37.757′N 074°00.828′W / 39.629283°N 74.013800°W.[24] |
22 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Troika | ![]() | The 50-foot (15 m) crab-fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea about 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) southeast of Saint Paul Island in the Pribilof Islands. Three members of her four-man crew put on survival suits and survived, and they were rescued by the fishing vessel Gala Maureen (![]() |
24 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Victoria Ann | ![]() | After a hull plank gave way, the 42-foot (13 m) seiner ran aground and sank in Hidden Basin, Ugak Bay, Alaska.[25] |
27 September
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Trina | ![]() | The 42-foot (13 m) longline cod-fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska near Perl Island off the coast of Alaska. The only person aboard abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by the fishing vessel Deva (![]() |
Unknown date
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Nina T | ![]() | The 70-foot (21 m) fishing trawler was scuttled sometime in September in 100 feet (30 m) of water off Eastern Point in Gloucester, Massachusetts, at 42°34.133′N 070°40.522′W / 42.568883°N 70.675367°W.[26] |
October
6 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Coastal Trader | ![]() | The 168.5-foot (51.4 m) fish tender′s crew of seven abandoned her 70 nautical miles (130 km; 81 mi) off Cape Muzon on Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska near Dixon Entrance after she caught fire during a voyage from Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea to Seattle, Washington. United States Coast Guard helicopters rescued her crew, and a salvage vessel towed her into port.[11] |
8 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
USS YON-81 | ![]() | Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 174-foot (53 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°01.832′N 073°59.677′W / 40.030533°N 73.994617°W. Her wreck is known as the "Ed Schmidiger" barge.[27] |
USS YON-84 | ![]() | Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 174-foot (53 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°00.587′N 073°59.391′W / 40.009783°N 73.989850°W. Her wreck is known as "Ocean Wreck Divers III."[28] |
11 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Sea Glider | ![]() | The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska near the Barren Islands in the Kodiak Archipelago. A United States Coast Guard helicopter rescued her entire crew of four from a life raft.[3] |
13 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Anna T | ![]() | The 27-foot (8.2 m) salmon seiner was burned and sank in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[29] |
26 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Loose Goose Too | ![]() | The 26-foot (7.9 m) cabin cruiser disappeared in Kachemak Bay in Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of Alaska with the loss of both people on board.[8] |
27 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Sand Kite | ![]() | The cargo ship struck one of the piers of the Thames Barrier and sank. Later raised, repaired and returned to service.[30] |
28 October
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Memories | ![]() | After her operator fell asleep at her wheel, the 49-foot (14.9 m) shrimp pot fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Wrangell Narrows in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[7] |
Unknown date
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Janet | ![]() | The 85-foot (26 m) decommissioned tugboat was scuttled as an artificial reef in 97 feet (30 m) of water off Okaloosa County, Florida.[31] |
November
2 November
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Northern Voyager | ![]() | While undergoing sea trials after a refit, the 120-foot (36.6 m), 196-gross register ton fishing vessel sank without loss of life in 175 feet (53 m) of water in the Atlantic Ocean off Gloucester, Massachusetts, 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) east of Eastern Point Light at 42°34.451′N 070°36.295′W / 42.574183°N 70.604917°W.[32] |
12 November
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Elizabeth | ![]() | The 47-foot (14.3 m) dive boat sank near Metlakatla, Alaska, after her cargo shifted. All four people on board survived.[33] |
17 November
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Constitution | ![]() | The ocean liner sank in the Pacific Ocean 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) north of Hawaii whilst under tow to the shipbreakers. |
19 November
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Green Lily | ![]() | The cargo ship ran aground at Bressay, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom after her engine failed in a storm. All fifteen crew were rescued by the Lerwick lifeboat and a helicopter, although the winchman of the helicopter was killed after his winchline had to be cut.[34] |
20 November
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
September Song | ![]() | The 33-foot (10 m) longline cod-fishing vessel flooded and sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Southeast Alaska southwest of Baranof Island (58°57′N 152°15′W / 58.950°N 152.250°W) after her scuppers became clogged with fish. Both crew members survived.[3] |
December
14 December
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
HMAS Swan | ![]() | The decommissioned River-class destroyer escort was scuttled in the Indian Ocean approximately 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) from Point Picquet near Dunsborough, Western Australia, at 33°33′02″S 115°06′02″E / 33.55056°S 115.10056°E to serve as a recreational dive site. |
The Living Christ | ![]() | The sailing ship sank off the Île de Gonâve, Haiti, with the loss of about 40 lives. There were 15 survivors reported.[35] |
19 December
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Golden Eagle | ![]() | The retired 80-foot (24.4 m) fishing trawler was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km; 4.1 mi) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, at 40°08.190′N 073°56.100′W / 40.136500°N 73.935000°W.[36] |
Restorer | ![]() | While under tow with the retired fishing trawler Golden Eagle (![]() |
22 December
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Callisto | ![]() | The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller sank approximately 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) south of Sitka, Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[11] |
30 December
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Happy Hooker II | ![]() | The 28-foot (8.5 m) dive boat iced up, dragged her anchor, and sank in Alitak Bay 56°50′N 154°10′W / 56.833°N 154.167°W on the coast of Alaska′s Kodiak Island. All three people aboard survived.[38] |
Merchant Patriot | ![]() | The ship sprang a leak in her engine room and was abandoned off the Bahamas. Declared a constructive total loss, she was towed to Freeport, Bahamas for scrapping.[39] |
Unknown date
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Catalina | ![]() | ![]() The passenger ferry foundered at Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.[40] |
Unknown date
Ship | State | Description |
---|---|---|
Anafi | nationality unknown | Carrying a cargo of coal, the ship caught fire in the Piraeus Roads, Greece and was abandoned.[41] |
Brown Bear | ![]() | The motor vessel, a former research ship, was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California, in late 1997 or in January 1998.[42] |
Christiana | ![]() | The ketch foundered in the North Sea,[43] and sank at a depth of 500 metres (1,640 ft) off Mandal, Norway. Later raised and repaired.[44] |
HMBS David Tucker | ![]() | The decommissioned Cape-class patrol vessel was sunk as an artificial reef in the Bahamas. |
Mr. J | ![]() | The crab processor – a former PCE-842-class patrol craft and auxiliary minelayer – was towed out into the Pacific Ocean and scuttled sometime in the 1990s.[45] |
References
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