List of shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean
This is a partial list of shipwrecks which occurred in the Indian Ocean . The list includes ships that sank, foundered, grounded, or were otherwise lost. The Indian Ocean is here defined in its widest sense, including its marginal seas : the Arabian Sea , the Bay of Bengal , the Great Australian Bight , the Mozambique Channel , the Persian Gulf , the Red Sea , the Strait of Malacca , and the Timor Sea .
Map of the Indian Ocean
Arabian Sea
Bay of Bengal
Central Indian Ocean
Ship
Flag
Sunk date
Notes
Coordinates
Arnhem
Dutch East India Company
12 February 1662
An East Indiaman that ran aground on the Saint Brandon Rocks .
Berwickshire
United Kingdom
20 August 1944
A merchant ship that was torpedoed by U-861 .[ 5]
30°58′S 38°50′E / 30.967°S 38.833°E / -30.967; 38.833 (SS Berwickshire )
Chivalry
United Kingdom
22 February 1944
A cargo ship that was sunk by a Japanese submarine.
0°50′S 68°0′E / 0.833°S 68.000°E / -0.833; 68.000 (SS Chivalry )
City of Johannesburg
United Kingdom
23 October 1942
A merchant steamer that was torpedoed by U-504 off East London , South Africa.
33°20′S 29°30′E / 33.333°S 29.500°E / -33.333; 29.500 (SS City of Johannesburg )
Clan Macarthur
United Kingdom
12 August 1943
A Cameron -class cargo steamship that was torpedoed by U-181 off Madagascar.
23°00′S 53°07′E / 23°S 53.11°E / -23; 53.11 (SS Clan Macarthur )
Commissaire Ramel
France
9 September 1940
A passenger ship that was sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis .
28°25′S 74°23′E / 28.417°S 74.383°E / -28.417; 74.383 (SS Commissaire Ramel )
Cornelia P. Spencer
United States
21 September 1943
A Liberty ship that was carrying 2,910 tons of steel and 300 tons of gum arabic that was sunk by U-188 .[ 6]
2°08′N 50°10′E / 2.133°N 50.167°E / 2.133; 50.167 (SS Cornelia P. Spencer )
HMS Cornwall
Royal Navy
5 April 1942
A County-class heavy cruiser that was sunk by Japanese dive bombers in the Easter Sunday Raid .
1°54′N 77°54′E / 1.900°N 77.900°E / 1.900; 77.900 (HMS Cornwall (56) )
HMS Dorsetshire
Royal Navy
5 April 1942
A County-class heavy cruiser that was sunk by Japanese dive bombers in the Easter Sunday Raid .
1°54′N 77°45′E / 1.900°N 77.750°E / 1.900; 77.750 (HMS Cornwall (56) )
Empire Chaucer
United Kingdom
17 October 1942
A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-504 about 450 nautical miles (830 km; 520 mi) south of Cape Town , South Africa.
38°12′S 20°04′E / 38.200°S 20.067°E / -38.200; 20.067 (SS Empire Chaucer )
Empire Day
United Kingdom
7 August 1944
A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-198 about 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) east of Dar es Salaam , Tanzania.
7°06′S 42°00′E / 7.100°S 42.000°E / -7.100; 42.000 (MV Empire Day )
Fort Lee
United States
2 November 1944
A T2 tanker that was torpedoed by U-181 .
27°35′S 83°11′E / 27.583°S 83.183°E / -27.583; 83.183 (SS Fort Lee )
Fort Longueuil
United Kingdom
19 September 1943
A North Sands-class cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-532 . 57 out of the 57 onboard died in the sinking with two crew members surviving after being at sea for 143 days before coming ashore to Sumatra where they were taken prisoner by the Japanese.[ 7]
10°00′S 68°00′E / 10.000°S 68.000°E / -10.000; 68.000 (SS Fort Longueuil )
Frontier
South Africa
27 September 1957
A cargo ship that ran aground east of East London, Eastern Cape , Africa.
Hoihow
United Kingdom
2 July 1943
A passenger ship that was torpedoed by U-181 .[ 8]
19°30′S 55°30′E / 19.500°S 55.500°E / -19.500; 55.500 (SS Hoihow )
I-27
Imperial Japanese Navy
12 February 1944
A Type B1 submarine sunk by the British destroyers HMS Paladin and HMS Petard .
01°25′N 72°22′E / 1.417°N 72.367°E / 1.417; 72.367 (I-27 )
I-60
Imperial Japanese Navy
17 January 1942
A Kaidai 3B-type submarine sunk by the British destroyer HMS Jupiter south of the Sunda Strait .
06°19′30″S 104°49′20″E / 6.32500°S 104.82222°E / -6.32500; 104.82222 (I-60 )
James B. Stephens
United States
8 March 1943
A Liberty ship that was torpedoed by U-160 about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Durban , South Africa.
28°53′S 33°18′E / 28.883°S 33.300°E / -28.883; 33.300 (SS James B. Stephens )
Khedive Ismail
United Kingdom
12 February 1944
A steamship that was torpedoed by I-27 , with 1,297 deaths.
01°25′N 72°22′E / 1.417°N 72.367°E / 1.417; 72.367 (SS Khedive Ismail )
Koning der Nederlanden
Netherlands
5 October 1881
An ocean liner that sprang a leak and sank east of the Seychelles .
5°14′S 64°7′E / 5.233°S 64.117°E / -5.233; 64.117 (SS Koning der Nederlanden )
Kormoran
Kriegsmarine
19 November 1941
A merchant raider that sank off Western Australia near Carnarvon due to damage sustained in combat with the Australian light cruiser Sydney .
26°05′46″S 111°04′33″E / 26.09611°S 111.07583°E / -26.09611; 111.07583 (Kormoran )
USS Langley
United States Navy
27 February 1942
A seaplane tender scuttled 75 nautical miles (139 km; 86 mi) south of Tjilatjap , Java , after sustaining damage in an attack by Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft.
08°51′04.2″S 109°02′02.6″E / 8.851167°S 109.034056°E / -8.851167; 109.034056 (USS Langley (AV-3) )
Lapérouse
French Navy
31 July 1898
A Lapérouse -class unprotected cruiser wrecked during a storm on the coast of Madagascar at Anosy .
Magicienne
French Navy
24 August 1810
A Magicienne -class frigate that ran aground off Mauritius in the Battle of Grand Port .
Marietta E
United Kingdom
4 March 1943
A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-160 .
31°29′S 31°07′E / 31.49°S 31.11°E / -31.49; 31.11 (SS Marietta E )
Monge
French Navy
8 May 1942
A Redoutable -class submarine sunk by the Royal Navy destroyers HMS Active and HMS Panther off Diego-Suarez , Madagascar , during the Battle of Madagascar .
Oceanos
Greece
4 August 1991
A cruise ship that sank off Coffee Bay , South Africa .
32°07′15″S 029°07′13″E / 32.12083°S 29.12028°E / -32.12083; 29.12028 (MTS Oceanos )
USS Pecos
United States Navy
1 March 1942
A Kanawha -class fleet replenishment oiler sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft south of Java .
14°27′S 106°11′E / 14.450°S 106.183°E / -14.450; 106.183 (USS Pecos (AO-6) )
HMS Pegasus
Royal Navy
20 September 1914
A Pelorus -class protected cruiser that sank in the harbor at Zanzibar due to damage sustained earlier in the day in combat with the Imperial German Navy light cruiser SMS Königsberg during the Battle of Zanzibar .
06°08′54″S 039°11′36″E / 6.14833°S 39.19333°E / -6.14833; 39.19333 (HMS Pegasus )
Pinguin
Kriegsmarine
8 May 1941
An auxiliary cruiser that was sunk by HMS Cornwall .
3°30′0″N 57°48′0″E / 3.50000°N 57.80000°E / 3.50000; 57.80000 (German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin )
HMS Plym
Royal Navy
3 October 1952
A River-class frigate obliterated in the Monte Bello Islands off Western Australia by the detonation of an atomic bomb within her hull in Operation Hurricane , a British nuclear test .
Ramb I
Regia Marina
27 February 1941
An auxiliary cruiser that was sunk by HMNZS Leander in the action of 27 February 1941 .
1°0′N 68°30′E / 1.000°N 68.500°E / 1.000; 68.500 (Italian ship Ramb I )
Samuel Heintzelman
United States
9 July 1943
A Liberty ship that was torpedoed by U-511 . Originally it was believed that it was sunk by a Japanese surface raider. There would be no survivors of the ship from the sinking.[ 9]
9°00′S 81°00′E / 9.000°S 81.000°E / -9.000; 81.000 (SS Samuel Heintzelman )
HMS Sirius
Royal Navy
23 August 1810
A frigate that ran aground off Mauritius in the Battle of Grand Port .
HMAS Sydney
Royal Australian Navy
19 November 1941
A Leander -class light cruiser that sank off Western Australia near Carnarvon due to damage sustained in combat with the German merchant raider Kormoran .
26°14′31″S 111°12′48″E / 26.24194°S 111.21333°E / -26.24194; 111.21333 (HMAS Sydney (D48) )
Texanita
Liberia
21 August 1972
An oil tanker that collided with Oswego-Guardian off Stilbaai , South Africa .
34°48′S 21°24′E / 34.80°S 21.40°E / -34.80; 21.40 (Oswego-Guardian/Texanita collision )
Tjisalak
Netherlands
26 March 1944
A cargo ship that was torpedoed by I-8 .
2°30′S 78°40′E / 2.500°S 78.667°E / -2.500; 78.667 (SS Tjisalak )
RIMS Warren Hastings
Royal Indian Marine
14 January 1897
A troopship that hit a rock and was wrecked off Réunion .
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Great Australian Bight
Mozambique Channel
Persian Gulf
Red Sea
Ship
Flag
Sunk date
Notes
Coordinates
Aida
Egypt
15 September 1957
A supply ship sunk off the coast of Big Brother Island.[citation needed ]
26°19′N 34°50′E / 26.317°N 34.833°E / 26.317; 34.833 (SS Aida )
Al-Baraqua II
Djibouti
6 April 2006
A capsized passenger ferry .
al-Salam Boccaccio 98
Egypt
3 February 2006
Capsized passenger ferry.
27°01′59″N 34°52′59″E / 27.033°N 34.883°E / 27.033; 34.883 (MS al-Salam Boccaccio )
Carnatic
United Kingdom
15 September 1869
Ran aground on a coral reef on 12 September, broke in half and sank three days later. 31 people drowned.[ 13]
27°34′N 33°55′E / 27.567°N 33.917°E / 27.567; 33.917 (SS Carnatic )
Chrisoula K
Greece
31 August 1981
A cargo ship that ran aground on a reef .[ 14]
27°34′53″N 33°55′55″E / 27.58139°N 33.93194°E / 27.58139; 33.93194 (Chrisoula K )
Dunraven
United Kingdom
22 April 1876
A merchant ship that hit a reef and sank in the Gulf of Suez , close to the Sinai Peninsula .[ 15]
27°25′17″N 34°04′23″E / 27.4215°N 34.0730°E / 27.4215; 34.0730 (SS Dunraven )
El Mina
Egyptian Navy
1969
A T43-class minesweeper bombed and sunk by an Israeli Air Force aircraft near Hurghada.[ 16]
27°13′55″N 33°51′34″E / 27.23194°N 33.85944°E / 27.23194; 33.85944 (El Mina )
Giannis D
Greece
19 April 1983
A cargo ship that sank with its cargo of timber at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, north of Hurghada.[citation needed ]
Giovanni Acerbi
Regia Marina
4 April 1941
A torpedo boat sunk in port at Massawa by British aircraft.[ 17]
Kimon M
Panama
12 December 1978
A cargo ship which sank on at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, north of Hurghada , when she ran into the reef of Abu Nuhas.[ 18]
27°34′48″N 33°56′00″E / 27.58000°N 33.93333°E / 27.58000; 33.93333 (Kimon M )
Macallé
Regia Marina
15 June 1940
A Adua -class submarine that was scuttled southeast of Port Sudan after the crew became "incapacitated" because of fumes leaking out of the submarine's air conditioning system.[ 19]
19°13′N 38°09′E / 19.217°N 38.150°E / 19.217; 38.150 (Macallé )
Nazario Sauro
Italy
6 April 1941
A merchant-passenger ship that was scuttled at Nakura on Dalac Island off Eritrea.[ 20]
Numidia
United Kingdom
20 July 1901
A cargo liner that sank at Big Brother Island.[citation needed ]
26°19′N 34°50′E / 26.317°N 34.833°E / 26.317; 34.833 (Numidia )
Rosalie Moller
United Kingdom
October 1941
A cargo ship bombed two days after the supply ship Thistlegorm —– anchored some 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) away off the Sinai Peninsula — was sunk. She rests north of Hurghada, north of the reefs of Abu Nuhas, in some 50 meters (164 ft) of water.[ 21]
27°39′03″N 33°46′17″E / 27.65083°N 33.77139°E / 27.65083; 33.77139 (SS Rosalie Moller )
Salem Express
Egypt
17 December 1991
The passenger ship ran into a shallow reef and sank 57 nautical miles (106 km; 66 mi) south of Hurghada, after the captain took a shortcut on his trip from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia , to Safaga , Egypt .
26°38′22.02″N 34°3′39.9″E / 26.6394500°N 34.061083°E / 26.6394500; 34.061083 (MV Salem Express )
Steel Seafarer
United States
5 September 1941
A cargo ship that was sunk by a German plane.[ 22]
Thistlegorm
United Kingdom
6 October 1941
A cargo ship sunk by German bombers near Sharm el-Sheikh .[ 23]
27°48′51″N 33°55′12″E / 27.81417°N 33.92000°E / 27.81417; 33.92000 (SS Thistlegorm )
Umbria
Italy
9 June 1940
A cargo ship scuttled by her crew near Port Sudan .
19°38′19″N 37°19′38″E / 19.63861°N 37.32722°E / 19.63861; 37.32722 (SS Umbria )
Vincenzo Giordano Orsini
Regia Marina
8 April 1941
A torpedo boat scuttled in the harbor entrance at Massawa .[ 17]
Zingara
Italy
22 August 1984
Commonly referred to as Kormoran , a cargo ship that sailed from Aqaba with a cargo of phosphate rock and hit Laguna Reef in the Straits of Tiran .
Strait of Malacca
Timor Sea
References
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^ Hooke, Norman (1997). Maritime Casualties, 1963–1996 . LLP Professional Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 1859781101 .
^ Hudson, Mike; Atkins, Philip (September 2007). "Locos lost at sea. The all-time definitive record". The Railway Magazine . 153 (1277). IPC Media Ltd: 14– 19. ISSN 0033-8923 .
^ "The Business Times". Singapore. June 10, 1991. p. 30.
^ "Berwickshire" . uboat.net . Retrieved June 17, 2023 .
^ "Cornelia P. Spencer" . uboat.net . Retrieved August 7, 2022 .
^ "Fort Longueuil" . uboat.net . Retrieved June 17, 2023 .
^ "Hoihow" . uboat.net . Retrieved June 17, 2023 .
^ "Samuel Heintzelman" . uboat.net . Retrieved August 7, 2022 .
^ "Breiviken" . uboat.net . Retrieved January 21, 2023 .
^ "Mary Livanos" . uboat.net . Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "Robert Bacon" . uboat.net . Retrieved August 7, 2022 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for Carnatic" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for Chrisoula K" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. 31 August 1981. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ "SS Dunraven [+1876]" . wrecksite.eu . Retrieved January 14, 2023 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for El Mina" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ a b Fraccaroli, Aldo (1985). "Italy". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 . Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 252, 290. ISBN 0-85177-245-5 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for Kimon M" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. 12 December 1978. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ "Macallé (MA)" . uboat.net . Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ "SS Nazario Sauro (+1941)" . wrecksite.eu . Retrieved October 31, 2023 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for Rosalie Moller" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ "SS Steel Seafarer (+1941)" . wrecksite.eu . Retrieved October 31, 2023 .
^ "DiveSiteDirectory for Thistlegorm" . Divesitedirectory.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2010 .
^ "MV Jenwin [+1999]" . wrecksite.eu . Retrieved January 21, 2024 .
^ "IJN NICHINAN MARU: Tabular Record of Movement" . combinedfleet.com . Retrieved January 21, 2024 .
^ "HMS Stratagem (P 234)" . uboat.net . Retrieved October 31, 2023 .
^ "Yasushima Maru (+1944)" . wrecksite.eu . Retrieved January 21, 2024 .