Top 12 Most Famous Sunken Ships

MV Rozi - Famous Sunken Ships

Ships have been a part of human history since time immemorial. Over the centuries, humans have managed to design different types of ships for serving different purposes such as transport, rescue, fishing, leisure, etc. Even today, ships are an indispensable part of human life.

Thousands of ships set sail every day and several are under construction. All ships serve humans throughout their life while some meet an untimely and unfortunate end by capsizing. Sunken ships have led to losses of millions of lives and artifacts in history, some of which remain famous to date. This article lists some of the most amazing sunken ships in the world.

1) The HMHS Britannic

The HMHS Britannic
The HMHS Britannic

The HMHS Britannic was a sister ship of the infamous RMS Titanic. It was constructed by the same company i.e. the White Star Line after the sinking of the Titanic. Keeping in mind the previous tragedy, the HMHS Britannic was built with more safety measures such as a greater number of lifeboats and a reinforced hull around the parts vulnerable to icebergs. It was much larger than the Titanic. It could have been a cruise ship but was requisitioned by the government as a hospital ship as the world war broke out. After about a year of service, it was brought down by enemy fire. Luckily, most of its 1000 passengers survived. It is one of the most famous sunken ships in naval history.

2) MV Rozi

MV Rozi
MV Rozi

MV Rozi or Tugboat Rozi is a ship that was deliberately sunk after being decommissioned, as an artificial reef in Malta. Divers are allowed to go scuba diving in the area. In fact, it has become one of the most popular scuba diving destinations in Malta. The ship has been under the ownership of Captain Morgan Cruises since 1992.

Also read: Largest Cruise Ships in the World

3) Giannis D

Giannis D
Giannis D

Giannis D was a cargo ship built in Japan in 1969. In 1983, the ship was on a voyage from Yugoslavia to Yemen. The ship drifted west of the set course in the Straits of Gubal and capsized that night and broke into half. Today, it is used as a diving site.

4) Frigate 356

Frigate 356
Frigate 356

The ship was one of the last of the Soviet combat vessels built towards the end of the cold war during the early 1980s. The use of this vessel was discontinued following the fall of the Soviet Union. It is more than 300 feet long and currently can be found at the bottom of the waters of Cayman Bay. The marvel here is that the shape has not corroded or oxidized even when it sank more than 20 years ago because it was mostly made out of aluminum.

5) Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes Ship
Sweepstakes Ship pic courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44124370018@N01/48484766072

This vessel was built in 1867 in Ontario. It sank at the big tub harbor in 1885. It could not be repaired at it had suffered serious damage. However, the coal that it was shipping was retrieved. The hull of the ship is still intact and rests in the water at the depth of 20 feet a few yards away from Big Tub Harbor.

6) RMS Lusitania

RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania

The RMS Lusitania was a British ship that was used to transport war munitions during the first world war under the group that it wouldn’t be attacked by the Germans as it was a non-military ship. It was briefly the largest ship in the world. It was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915. The wreck of the ship can be found near the lighthouse at Kinsale.

7) USS Arizona

USS Arizona
USS Arizona

When we talk about sunken ships, how can we forget this mighty warrior? USS Arizona is one of the most famous wartime casualties in the world. It came into service in 1916 and was struck in 1942. It sank during the attack on Pearl Harbour. It is one of the most famous shipwrecks in the world. Memorial to pay tribute to the Navy men who gave the lives for the country has been built on top of this wreck. It is one of the sunken ships in Pearl Harbor.

8) P29

P29 Maltese Patrol Boat
P29 Maltese Patrol Boat

P29 was a petrol boat from Malta. It was resold to the country after being abandoned by the Volksmarine before the reunification of Germany. This is another example of a boat that was sunk for the purpose of recreational diving. It was scuttled in 2007.

9) Whydah Gally

Whydah Gally
Whydah Gally

This was a pirate ship that belonged to ‘Black Sam’ Bellamy. He was one of the most successful pirates in history. The amount of treasures that he collected in his life from ships would be was nearly 120 million dollars today. He and his ship met an end when his ship was struck by a huge storm and sank resulting in the death of most of his crew and himself. Most office Treasure also sank with the ship. The wreck was discovered 260 years later and much of the treasure has been recovered.

Also read: Top 10 Historic Ships

10) Queen Anne’s Revenge

The Queen Anne’s Revenge
Queen Anne’s Revenge

Another pirate ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge was one of the most fearsome ships to ever sail the seas. It was used as a flagship by the infamous pirate, Edward Teach, commonly known as Blackbeard. He used the ship for less than a year in 1717. The wreck of the ship was discovered in 1996. However, it took a long time for it to be identified as Queen Anne’s Revenge. Thousands of valuable items and artifacts were recovered.

11) USS Utah

USS Utah
USS Utah

The USS Utah is yet another example of a second world war causality. It also sank during the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941. It was commissioned in 1911. The wreck of the ship remains in Pearl Harbour. A memorial dedicated to the men who were killed in the attack has been placed at the wreck.

12) HMS Prince Albert

HMS Prince Albert
HMS Prince Albert

This ship was once used to do transport people from Nicaragua to Roatan. After it was decommissioned, it was purchased by a local resort owner. It was deliberately sunk to be turned into a popular recreational diving area.

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