The fishing boat—which had lost contact with Taiwanese authorities on 30 December 2020—was spotted floating near Midway Island. Upon further inspection by the United States Coast Guard, a lifeboat was missing, as were all ten crew. The ship was also damaged in what looked to be a collision. The boat was left adrift in the Pacific Ocean, and the U.S. Coast Guard continued to search for the missing crew. Of the ten on board, nine are of Indonesian nationality, and the captain is Taiwanese.[1][2]
The ferry with 78 people aboard ran ground near Danao, Cebu, Philippines, though all on board were safe.[3] All 53 passengers were evacuated, and the ship had been towed to a safe position.[4]
The bulk carrier was abandoned in the Philippine Sea 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) south-east of Miyakojima, Japan. Her 22 crew were rescued by a Taiwanese fishing vessel. She was on a voyage from Papua New Guinea to China.[6]
The river/sea cargo ship broke in two, and sank in a storm at Bartın, Turkey. Out of the 13 people on board 4 were killed, 3 remained missing and 6 were rescued. Eleven on board were Ukrainian, and 2 were Russian.[7][8][9]
The tug was sunk in a collision with the container shipTanto Bersinar (Indonesia) in the Java Sea off Surabaya. Of eight crew, three crew rescued and five remain missing. A barge she was towing was damaged, with cargo leaking.[16]
The South Korean-flagged fishing trawler caught fire and burned out south-east of Manila, Philippines. The crew of 24 were saved by nearby vessels, but the ship was abandoned.[19]
The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) south-west of Cheongsando Island, Wando County, South Korea. The crew were rescued by Wando Maritime Rescue and Coast Guard.[20]
The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank after dragging anchor and contacting another ship at Gresik, Indonesia, partially above water. The crew evacuated.[21]
On the Tornagaleones River in Chile, a catamaran used in the construction of the Chacao Bridge capsized with over four crew aboard. Everyone was safely rescued.[26]
The ferry listed and partially capsized at dock and sank at the Perigi Piai Jetty, north of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.[28] Rescuers confirmed that all 94 people aboard had been evacuated safely.[29]
The tanker capsized in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of Galicia after the nine drug smugglers aboard opened the valves in the engine room after being intercepted by the Spanish Guardia Civil. The nine crew were taken off by a boarding team operating from Serviola (Spanish Navy) along with 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) of cocaine. After the crew and boarding team had disembarked, the ship capsized.[30]
The 43-metre (141 ft) scallopfishing vessel caught fire during the evening of 2 March while operating off the coast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. The fire knocked out the power in seas with 6–8-metre (20–26 ft) waves. After taking on water, all 31 crewmembers were rescued via helicopters from the Canadian and United States Coast Guards. Atlantic Destiny sank at 10:36 am on 3 March.[32]
The fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with APL Le Havre (Singapore) in the Arabian Sea 42 nautical miles (78 km; 48 mi) off Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. Nine crew were declared missing, five crew were rescued, but three died later.[54]
The liftboat capsized in rough weather in the Gulf of Mexico whilst under way some five nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Thirteen crew were killed, including the captain, and six were rescued.[55][56]
The abandoned/out-of-service cargo ship, at anchor for a year, drifted ashore at Toamasina (Tatamave), Madagascar.[64]
May
2 May
List of shipwrecks: 2 May 2021
Ship
State
Description
Unnamed trawler
Flag unknown
A 40-foot (12 m) trawler smuggling migrants capsized in San Diego Bay, washed ashore and broke up on rocks. Three people were found to have died, and one person later died in the hospital. Around 25 people were rescued and hospitalized, including 1 in critical condition. The captain was detained.[65][66]
The cargo ship struck a reef in the South China Sea off Cat Ba Island, near Hải Phòng, Vietnam. Sank or was beached to prevent sinking two miles (3.2 km) off Cat Ba Island. All nine crew were rescued.[76]
The Japanese fishing trawler from Mombetsu which had five people aboard, collided in foggy weather with the Russian cargo vessel Amur with 23 aboard. Three of the people on Hokko Maru No. 8 drowned, while the other two people were rescued by Amur.[78]
The ro-ro container ship was damaged in a collision with the chemical tanker Ulsan Pioneer (Marshall Islands) and later capsized and sank in the Sea of Japan, north-west of Imabari, Shikoku Island, Japan. Nine crew were rescued, her captain, chief and second engineer remain missing.[80]
Five luxury 20 m (66 ft) yachts were destroyed by fire at the Marina Kastela, near Split, Croatia. Three boats on fire were towed into Kastela Bay where two burned and sank, and one was beached and destroyed, two others burned in the marina. Eighteen others were damaged.[85]
The container ship suffered an onboard explosion and caught fire off Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her crew were rescued on 25 May by the Sri Lankan Navy. She was burned out by 1 June and sank in 70 feet (21 m) of water with the superstructure above water.[86][87][88]
The offshore supply tug sank in the Gulf of Suez off Ras Ghareb, Egypt after striking a sunken wreck. Eleven of 13 of her crew were rescued, but an engineer and her captain died.[89][90]
The ferry ran aground near Bushwick Inlet Park, New York City due to a mechanical problem and took on water. One hundred passengers evacuated, 1 crewman injured.[93]
The coastal cargo ship caught fire, suffered an explosion, capsized and sank at Delpan Wharf in the Pasig River, Manila, Philippines. Two crewmen missing, four crewman injured, plus two crewmen on a nearby cargo ship were injured.[94]
13 June
List of shipwrecks: 13 June 2021
Ship
State
Description
Unknown migrant boat
Flag unknown
A migrant boat sank off Yemen's Ras al-Ara area in southern Lahj Province. There were 150–200 on board, most are believed to have drowned.[95][96]
The coaster was pushed aground by storm on the coast of Raigad District south of Mumbai, India due to a mechanical problem and took on water. The ship's crew were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.[97]
The coastal freighter was sunk in a collision with the utility vessel BKM 104 in Manila Bay, South Harbor Anchorage area, Philippines. She sank in shallow water only partially submerged.[105]
A bunkering tanker suffered an engine breakdown and drifted aground, and partially sank, with the ship's upper superstructure remaining above water off Banyutowo coast, Dukuhseti, Pati Regency, Java, in the Java Sea.[117]
The double-decked stern wheel paddlewheel excursion/party boat turned on its side and sank partially above water in shallow water in high waves in a storm on Lake Conroe, Texas. All 53 on board were picked up but 1 passenger later died.[119]
The cargo ship sank after striking rocks off Small Vrak, Karavi islets in the Sea of Crete east of the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. The cargo ship Haya (Comoros) participated in search and rescue. All 16 crew rescued.[123]
Hurricane Ida: A barge broke from her mooring during Hurricane Ida and sank after striking the Kerner Swing Bridge in Bayou Barataria in Lafitte, Louisiana.[131][132]
Hurricane Ida: A 100-foot trawler broke from her mooring during Hurricane Ida and sank after striking the Kerner Swing Bridge in Bayou Barataria in Lafitte, Louisiana.[131][132]
Hurricane Ida: A tugboat broke from her mooring during Hurricane Ida and sank after striking the Kerner Swing Bridge in Bayou Barataria in Lafitte, Louisiana.[131][132]
The cargo ship was sunk in a collision with Lisa Auerbach (Liberia) at Vũng Tàu, Vietnam in shallow water with the upper bridge above water. All 17 crew rescued by Lisa Auerbach.[136]
The anchored 17.35-metre (56 ft 11 in) fishing vessel suffered a fire in her engine room in the evening of 17 September in the Wadden Sea south east of Amrum Island. She burned out and sank in shallow water (54°36′N08°29′E / 54.600°N 8.483°E / 54.600; 8.483) at 02:45 on 18 September. Her two crew were rescued by helicopter. The wreck was removed as a hazard to navigation 9–10 October 2021.[137]
The 15.05-metre (49 ft 5 in) fishing vessel suffered sprung planks in the bow and sank off Northern Light Bouy No.8 Vogelsand (54°01′N08°26′W / 54.017°N 8.433°W / 54.017; -8.433). Her two crew and three scientists were rescued by Hoffnung (Germany). The wreck broke up on the bottom before salvage could be attempted.[138]
A fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with the bulk carrier Xin Hai Zhou 26 (Panama) in the East China Sea some 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) south-east of Zhoushan, China. Four crew were rescued, one dead, two reported missing.[139]
The tug was damaged in a collision with the tanker Punta Medanos (Argentina) while maneuvering the tanker at La Plata, Argentina. She was grounded at the edge of the channel where she sank in shallow water with a port list with the vessel mostly above water.[145]
A tug capsized after a collision with the tall shipCisne Branco (Brazilian Navy). The tugboat was attempting to assist the tall ship after Cisne Branco collided with and got stuck under a pedestrian bridge connecting Guayaquil, Ecuador to Santay Island, Ecuador.[146]
The coal barge sprung a leak and developed a list, and was run aground, probably to prevent capsizing or sinking, on the Alas Purwo National Park coast, Banyuwangi Regency, eastern tip of Java, Indonesia.[151]
The lighter sank in shallow water, partially above water, after a collision with the bulk carrier Handy Perth (Panama) in the Port of Mongla, Bangladesh. Three crew rescued, three missing.[158]
The cargo ship sank after springing a leak 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) off the southern coast of Nangan Island, Matsu Islands, China in the southern East China Sea east of Fuzhou. All 11 crew were rescued, 2 by Taiwanese search and rescue, the rest by China.[159]
The coastal cargo ship sank in bad weather and rough seas in the "Thousand Island" area of the Java Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) north-west of Jakarta, Java, Indonesia. All 15 rescued.[160]
The ro-ro passenger ferry was driven ashore in a severe storm and beat on an embankment causing her to capsize and sink at Maltepe, Istanbul, in the Sea of Marmara.[164]
The cargo ship sank in a severe storm in the Sea of Japan some 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) south of Nakhodka, Russia. Seventeen crew rescued, 1 washed overboard and is missing.[167]
The cargo ship was reportedly abandoned by her crew and capsized in the South China Sea some 160 nautical miles (300 km; 180 mi) east of Vũng Tàu, Vietnam.[168]
The offshore supply vessel sank in Bangladesh waters south-west of Chittagong, in the Port of Payra area, due to water ingress. The ship struck bottom or an underwater object. Twelve crew rescued.[169]
The cargo ship sank in a storm in the Yellow Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) north-east of Yantai, Shandong Province, China. Three crew rescued, 4 dead, 7 missing.[174]
A fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with the container ship Heng Yu (China) 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) south-west of Yeosu, South Korea in the East China Sea. Twenty-five crew rescued, 2 missing.[180]
A vessel smuggling Iraqi refugees from Turkey to Greece capsized and sank near Folegandros, killing at least 11 people, and leaving up to 50 people stranded in the Aegean sea. The Greek Coastguard was able to rescue at least 12 migrants, but many remain missing and are feared dead. The wreck was one of three mass casualty events involving refugees in Greek territorial waters in one week.[187][188]
A migrant vessel crashed into rocks in the islet of Antikythera. Around 90 people were rescued by the Greek Coastguard, and 11 bodies were recovered deceased. The wreck was one of three mass casualty events involving refugees in Greek territorial waters in one week.[189]
A boat smuggling Syrian migrants from (purportedly) Turkey to Italy sank in the Aegean Sea near Paros, killing at least 16 migrants. Around 80 people were rescued. The wreck was one of three mass casualty events involving refugees in Greek territorial waters in one week.[192][193]
The cargo ship sprung a leak in her engine room on 24 December some 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) north of Keelung, Taiwan and was abandoned. The crew was rescued. The ship was taken under tow by a salvage tug at an unknown time and towed for some time in rough weather conditions, but broke off the towing line, and drifted aground off Xianjiao Island coast, Penghu Islands, Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait, she was aground on or before 27 December.[194]
Two new yachts were destroyed by fire while being carried as deck cargo on the BBC Virginia (Antigua and Barbuda) in the Taiwan Strait while being transported from their manufacturer in Taiwan to the United States sometime between 26 November when it left port and when it entered port at Kaohsiung on 11 December after calling at Dafeng, China.[199]
