List of shipwrecks in 1948
The list of shipwrecks in 1948 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1948.
January
2 January
- Silvia Onorato (
Italy): The cargo ship ran aground on the Goodwin Sands and broke her back.[1]
3 January
- Lynn Trader (
United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground in Bridlington Bay, Yorkshire.[2]
6 January
- City of London ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of Margate, Kent. Refloated the next day.[3]
7 January
- Teasel ( United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground near Holyhead, Anglesey.[3]
9 January
- Podolsk (
Soviet Union): The cargo ship ran aground on the Amhurst Rocks in the Yangtze Estuary 60 nautical miles (110 km) from Wusong, China. She sank two days later.[4]
11 January
- Veni (
Norway): The cargo ship ran aground on Balach Rocks, Islay, Inner Hebrides, United Kingdom whilst on a voyage from Leith, Midlothian to Sfax, Tunisia.[5]
16 January
- Svein Jarl ( Norway): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank off Patras, Greece. Nine crew were killed.[5]
19 January
- Oriana ( United Kingdom): The tug exploded and sank off the Knoll buoy in the Colne Estuary, Essex with the loss of all sixteen crew.[6]
21 January
- Argo ( Norway): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank whilst on a voyage from Venice, Italy to Rijeka, Yugoslavia. Eleven crew were killed.[5]
30 January
- Toxteth ( United Kingdom): The tug collided with Basis ( Norway) in the River Mersey. She capsized and sank with the loss of all four crew.[7]
February
3 February
- USS Trippe (
United States Navy): The Benham-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. - Hanazuki (
Imperial Japanese Navy): The Akizuki-class destroyer was sunk as a target off the Gotō Islands.
10 February
- USS Pennsylvania ( United States Navy): The Pennsylvania-class battleship was sunk as a target off Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
12 February
- Soegio (
Netherlands) struck a mine and sank in Macassar Strait, Borneo.
13 February
- Ardennes (
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Belgium) ran aground off Santander, Spain after anchor chain broke. Refloated 24 February and returned to service.[8]
24 February
- Baltic Queen ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship collided with Hembury (
Brazil) in the River Mersey and sank. All 25 crew were rescued.[9]
Unknown date
- Samnethy ( United Kingdom): The Liberty ship ran aground near the Owers Lightship off Selsey Bill, West Sussex. Refloated on 22 February.[10]
March
25 March
- Memphis (
Greece): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Mediterranean at 33°50′N 27°34′E / 33.833°N 27.567°E.[11]
April
8 April
11 April
- HMAS Barcoo (
Royal Australian Navy): The River-class frigate ran aground at Glenelg North, South Australia. She was undamaged and was later refloated. - Lino ( Italy): The schooner was destroyed by an explosion at Bari whilst under arrest for carrying illegal arms bound for Syria.[12]
19 April
- Duke of Sparta: Bound for London from Liverpool she stranded on the Seven Stones Reef, between the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. She refloated on same day; the only ship to get off the reef in modern times.[13]
May
14 May
- Rutland ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground west of Tjøme whilst on a voyage from Bergen to Oslo.[5]
16 May
- Polglen ( United Kingdom): The coaster hit a mine and sank off Borkum, Netherlands. All fourteen crew were rescued by Glory ( Netherlands).[14]
25 May
- USS Salt Lake City ( United States Navy): The Pensacola-class cruiser was sunk as a target 130 miles (210 km) off California.
June
Altalena on fire at Tel Aviv
11 June
- Köbenhavn (
Denmark): The passenger ship struck a mine and sank 15 nautical miles (28 km) off the east coast of Jutland with the loss of over 150 lives.[15]
16 June
- Altalena (
Israel): Altalena Affair: The converted LST was shelled and set on fire near Tel Aviv. Towed out to sea and scuttled in 1949.
24 June
- Fenris ( Norway): The tanker suffered a fire in her engine room whilst on a voyage from Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela to Le Havre, France. Declared a constructive total loss.[5]
Unknown date
- Batavia Road (
Australia) ran aground on Half Moon Reef, Western Australia.
July
2 July
- USS Conyngham ( United States Navy): The Mahan-class destroyer was sunk as a target off California.
- HMAS Vendetta ( Royal Australian Navy): The V-class destroyer was scuttled off Sydney.
5 July
- USS Hughes ( United States Navy): The Sims-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
- Thalatta ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground on the Siwadiwa Atoll in the Maldives. Refloated on 12 April 1949 and towed to Columbo, Ceylon where declared a total loss.[5]
- Uranus ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground in Stokksundet whilst on a voyage from Bergen to Tromsø.[5]
8 July
- USS New York ( United States Navy): The New York-class battleship was intentionally sunk off Hawaii during battle manoeuvres.
- Francois Tixier (
France): capsized and sank off Sheringham, England.[16]
17 July
- Amstelstroom ( Netherlands): The coaster ran aground on Lundy Island, Devon, United Kingdom. All eleven crew scrambled ashore.[17]
18 July
- Marie ( Belgium): The cargo ship collided with Bharatkhand ( United Kingdom) 8 nautical miles (15 km) north east of Ushant and sank.[17]
- Marlene ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a submerged object at Falmouth, Cornwall and was holed. She was beached in Great Molunan Cove to prevent her sinking.[17]
20 July
- Cronenburgh ( Netherlands): Ran aground between Stockholm and Mäntyluoto, Finland. Refloated but leaking, repaired and returned to service.
27 July
- Philip Heineken (
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Germany): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Skagerrak with a cargo of poison gas munitions.[18]
31 July
- USS Nevada ( United States Navy): The Nevada-class battleship was sunk as a target approximately 60 miles (97 km) south west of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
- Penstone ( United Kingdom): The coaster was in collision with Villanger ( Norway) in Liverpool Bay and sank with the loss of four of the six people on board.[19]
August
11 August
- USS Skipjack ( United States Navy): The Salmon-class submarine was sunk as a target off California.
22 August
- Empire Success ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay with a cargo of obsolete chemical ammunition.[4]
25 August
- Moonlight ( United Kingdom): The barge capsized and sank off Ardlamont Point, Argyllshire with the loss of four of the five people on board.[20]
29 August
- Hellenic Bulbul ( United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground on Domanik Island, Bay of Bengal, India and sank.
30 August
- Prowess ( Norway): The ex-Portuguese-class naval trawler ran aground in Frøyskjæret, west of Florø whilst on a voyage from Poland to Vadsø, Norway. Refloated in 1951 and scrapped in 1954.[5]
30 August
- HMS Worcester (
Royal Navy): The training ship sank in the Thames Estuary at Grays, Essex.[21]
September
11 September
- USS Mahackemo (
United States Navy): The tug sank in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina whilst under tow.[22] - USS Searaven ( United States Navy): The Sargo-class submarine was sunk as a target.
16 September
- Leicester ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was abandoned in the North Atlantic with the loss of six of her 45 crew. Located on 26 September by Foundation Lillian and towed to Bermuda By Foundation Josephine, arriving 3 October. Beached by a hurricane on 7 October, re-floated 19 October, and towed to Newport News, Virginia, arriving 31 October. Repaired and recommissioned 14 December.[23]
19 September
- Lochmonar ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Little Cayman, Cayman Islands.[24]
24 September
- USS Tuna ( United States Navy): The Tambor-class submarine was disposed of by sinking her in the Pacific Ocean off Mare Island, California.
27 September
- Mui Lee ( Norway): The cargo ship was driven ashore at Hoihow, China in a typhoon. Refloated in 1949 and sold.[5]
28 September
October
2 October
- Borgøy ( Norway): The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank off Lista whilst on a voyage from Ålesund to Stockholm, Sweden.[5]
5 October
- USS Skate ( United States Navy): The Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target off California.
6 October
- Takoradian ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Copenhagen, Denmark.[26]
25 October
- Henny ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground west of Rongevær whilst on a voyage from Brevik to Namsos. Refloated on 2 April 1949, repaired and returned to service.[5]
26 October
- Empire Flamingo ( United Kingdom): The bow section of the cargo ship sank in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south of the Longships Lighthouse whilst under tow.[27] Raised in 1949 and sunk off Gwennap Head, Cornwall.[4]
- Wenche ( Norway): The cargo ship sank 100 nautical miles (190 km) south west of Kopervik whilst on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne to Kopervik.[5]
31 October
- Tendringen ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground and sank in the Namsenfjord whilst on a voyage from Slemmestad to Namsos.[5]
November
1 November
- St Guenole ( France): The tanker ran aground at Gribba Head, Cornwall, United Kingdom with the loss of eleven of her twelve crew.[28]
10 November
- USS Pensacola ( United States Navy): The Pensacola-class cruiser was sunk as a target off Washington.
11 November
- Grom ( Norway): The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank 8 nautical miles (15 km) south west of Kvistøy whilst on a voyage from Rekefjord to Møre.[5]
13 November
- Rene ( Belgium): The cargo ship ran aground on the Rocks of Mansonria off Fedala, Morocco. Declared a constructive total loss.[25]
17 November
- EK-3 (
Soviet Navy) The Tacoma-class frigate ran aground off Petropavlosk, Soviet Union. She was declared a total loss. - USS U-1105 ( United States Navy): The Type VIIC/41 submarine was deliberately sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Point No Point Lighthouse, Maryland. She was raised in the summer of 1949.
22 November
- SS Southern Flyer ( United Kingdom): The 438 grt whaler ran aground on rocks at Lazarete Beach, Cape Verde after calling in for bunkers while on delivery voyage to South Georgia.[29]
December
4 December
- Kiangya (
China) :The ship exploded and sank in the mouth of the Huangpu River with the loss of at least 2,750 lives.
15 December
20 December
- Bosphorus ( Norway): The cargo ship ran aground on Haisborough Sand, Norfolk, United Kingdom.[30] Refloated on 29 December.[31]
24 December
- Alcyone Fortune ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at the Mull of Kintyre, Argyllshire.[31] Refloated on 30 December.[32]
28 December
- Farne ( Norway): The ex-Isles-class naval trawler sank off Halland, Sweden with the loss of all fourteen crew. She was on a voyage from Stettin, Poland to Larvik, Norway.[5]
30 December
- Rojo ( Norway): The cargo ship sank in the North Sea whilst on a voyage from Middlesbrough, Yorkshire to Denmark.[5]
Exact date unknown
- Borodino ( Soviet Navy): scuttled near Osmussaar Island, Estonia.
References
- ↑ Lane, Anthony (2009). Shipwrecks of Kent. Stroud: The History Press. pp. p51–52. ISBN 978-0-7524-1720-2.
- ↑ "Stranded Ships" The Times (London). Wednesday, 7 January 1948. (50962), col G, p. 4.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Shipping Warned Of Further Gales" The Times (London). Thursday, 8 January 1948. (50963), col F, p. 4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 "Norske skipsforlis i 1948" (in Norwegian). Skipet. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
- ↑ "Tug Lost After Explosion" The Times (London). Tuesday, 20 January 1948. (50973), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "Four Drowned In Capsized Tug" The Times (London). Saturday, 31 January 1948. (50983), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "Belgian Merchant A-G". Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ "Ship Sinks In Mersey" The Times (London). Wednesday, 25 February 1948. (51004), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "New Tanker Reports Striking Mine" The Times (London). Monday, 23 February 1948. (51002), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "Memphis (5605949)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 2 December 2012. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Schooner Blown Up At Bari" The Times (London). Monday, 12 April 1948. (51043), col E, p. 3.
- ↑ Noall, Cyril (1968). Cornish Lights and Shipwrecks. Truro: D. Bradford Barton.
- ↑ "British Steamer Sunk By Mine" The Times (London). Monday, 17 May 1948. (51073), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "Danish Passenger Ship Mined" The Times (London). Saturday, 12 June 1948. (51096), col F, p. 4.
- ↑ "Belgian Merchant H-O". Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Belgian Ship Sunk" The Times (London). Monday, 19 July 1948. (51127), col C, p. 6.
- ↑ "Philip Heineken (5613998)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 17 April 2012. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Four Drowned After Collision At Sea" The Times (London). Monday, 2 August 1948. (51139), col C, p. 3.
- ↑ "Steam-barge Sunk In Squall" The Times (London). Thursday, 26 August 1948. (51160), col A, p. 3.
- ↑ "The Worcester Sinks" The Times (London). Tuesday, 31 August. (51164), col C, p. 2.
- ↑ "Mahackemo". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ↑ "Hurricane Approaching Florida" The Times (London). Tuesday, 21 September 1948. (51182), col B, p. 4.
- ↑ "British Steamship Aground" The Times (London). Monday, 20 September 1948. (51181), col C, p. 4.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Belgian Merchant P-Z". Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ↑ "British Ship Twice On Fire" The Times (London). Thursday, 7 October 1948. (51196), col D, p. 3.
- ↑ "Four Saved From Hulk" The Times (London). Wednesday, 27 October 1948. (51213), col D, p. 4.
- ↑ "Ship Aground Near Land's End" The Times (London). Tuesday, 2 November 1948. (51218), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ "Wrecksite of Southern Flyer".
- ↑ "Cromer Lifeboat's Response To S.O.S." The Times (London). Tuesday, 21 December 1948. (51260), col E, p. 4.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Attempt To Refloat Grounded Ship" The Times (London). Thursday, 30 December 1948. (51266), col F, p. 4.
- ↑ "Snow And Floods" The Times (London). Friday, 31 December 1948. col F, p. 4.
See also
- List of shipwrecks
| Ship events in 1948 | |||||||||||
| Ship launches: | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 |
| Ship commissionings: | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 |
| Ship decommissionings: | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 |
| Shipwrecks: | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 |