List of shipwrecks in 1959
The list of shipwrecks in 1959 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1959.
January
9 January
- Freya (
United Kingdom): The fisheries protection vessel foundered off Caithness with the loss of three of her twenty crew.[1]
14 January
- Pelayo (
United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a jetty at Livorno, Italy and was holed. She subsequently sank, but all 32 crew and both passengers were rescued.[2]
23 January
- Natone (
Australia): The cargo ship ran aground and sank off Double Island Point, Queensland, Australia.
27 January
- Laura T Gabriella (
Italy): The coaster sank in a storm off Antipaxos, Greece. All eight crew killed.[3] - Adele Andolo ( Italy): The coaster foundered 40 nautical miles (74 km) south of Malta. Five of her eleven crew were killed, six were rescued by the Admiralty tug Mediator ( United Kingdom).[4]
30 January
- Hans Hedtoft (
Denmark): The cargo liner sank on her maiden voyage off Cape Farewell, Greenland with the loss of all 95 passengers and crew.
February
5 February
- Jens Bangrang ( Denmark): The passenger ship ran aground north of Copenhagen. Three hundred passengers transferred ashore by tugs.[5]
7 February
- Princesse Josephine Charlotte (
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Belgium): The ferry ran aground at Ostend, later refloated undamaged.[6] - Pitho (
Singapore): The tug collided with Takeshima Maru (
Japan) in Singapore Harbour, capsized and sank with the loss of five of her nine crew.[7]
13 February
- Henry Foss (
Canada): The tug struck a rock off Vancouver Island and sank with the loss of all five crew.[8]
17 February
- Ocean Trade ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground off Yokosuka, Japan. All 42 crew rescued.[9]
19 February
- Marios II (
Greece):The cargo ship sank at 38°35′N 24°21′E / 38.583°N 24.350°E whilst under tow following a boiler explosion. - OPV Hermodur (
Iceland): The lighthouse tender foundered off Reykjanes with the loss of all twelve crew.[10]
20 February
- Llandaff ( United Kingdom): The 12,501 grt freighter ran aground at Esbjerg. She was refloated 7 March 1959 and scrapped in September 1959.
25 February
- Ocean Trade ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship sank off Yokosuka, Japan.[9]
March
3 March
- Stellatus (
Sweden): The cargo ship ran aground at Duncansby Head, Caithness, United Kingdom. All 40 crew rescued.[11]
17 March
- Lisa C ( Italy): The coastal tanker ran aground near Mazagan, Morocco. All crew rescued by American military helicopters from Sidi Slimane Air Base.[12]
23 March
- Kholmogory (
Soviet Union): The cargo ship collided with Bischofstein (
West Germany) off Spiekeroog, Netherlands and sank. One of her 41 crew was killed, the 40 survivors were rescued by Bischofstein and landed at Bremerhaven, West Germany.[13]
26 March
- SS Santa Rosa (
United States): The ocean liner collided with the tanker Valchem ( United States) in New York Harbour. Four people were killed.[14] [15]
April
13 April
- Holdernith ( United Kingdom): Ran aground off Burnham on Sea, Somerset. Refloated undamaged a week later.
15 April
- Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom): The lightship was driven ashore in the River Hull at Woodmansea, Yorkshire.[16]
19 April
- Harborough ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck the wreck of Kholmogory ( Soviet Union) in the Weser Estuary and sank. All 42 crew rescued by the German pilot ship Weser ( West Germany).[17]
26 April
- Bygdov (
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Libya): The cargo ship ran aground at the entrance to Accra, Ghana. She was holed and sank.[18]
29 April
- Prescott ( Canada): The cargo ship collided with a bridge over the Beauharnois Canal at Valleyfield, Quebec and then ran aground. Refloated after fifteen hours.[19]
May
8 May
- Gugsier ( West Germany): The tug collided with the tanker Kylix (
Netherlands), which she was towing, and sank at Hamburg with the loss of one crewmember.[20] - Dandarra (
United Arab Republic): The passenger boat sank in the River Nile near Barrage Gardens, 16 miles (26 km) south of Cairo. At least eleven people were killed, with 175 rescued and an unknown number missing.[21]
21 May
- Channel Trader ( United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground off Cap de la Hague, France.[22]
26 May
- Monrovia (
Liberia): The cargo ship collided with Royalton ( Canada) in Lake Huron and sank.[23]
Unknown date
- Daibabe (
Panama): The cargo ship sank east of Malta. All crew rescued by Uarda ( Sweden).[24] - Motomar (
Argentina): The coaster sank off Argentina with the loss of fifteen of her eighteen crew.[25]
June
9 June
15 June
- Ocean Layer ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean (48°26′N 19°03′W / 48.433°N 19.050°W) and was abandoned by her crew. She was taken in tow by Wotan ( United Kingdom), arriving at Falmouth, Cornwall on 21 June still on fire. Declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped.[23]
18 June
- Springdale ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship sank off the coast of Sweden. All seventeen crew survived unharmed.[26]
July
3 July
- Ombrina ( Italy): The tanker collided with a swing bridge and a yacht at Sète, France. She was holed and her cargo of avgas and petrol was set alight by a lighted gas cooker on board the yacht Bambula ( United Kingdom), which caught fire and sank. The fire also spread to three other ships, Jacques Schiaffino and Tessala (both
France) and Stilbe (
Morocco). USS Fort Mandan ( United States Navy) assisted firemen from Montpellier and Sète in fighting the fires. One of the four crew of Bambula and two of the crew of Ombrina were killed, with a further two crew from the latter ship seriously injured.[27] - Rio Altro (
Colombia): The cargo ship caught fire, exploded and sank in the Caribbean with the loss of up to five crew. Essen ( West Germany) rescued 38 survivors and landed them at Cristóbal, Panama Canal Zone.[28]
6 July
- Beaverbank ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Fanning Island, Gilbert and Ellice Islands.[29]
12 July
- St Ronan ( United Kingdom): The coaster was in the English Channel when she was struck by Mount Athos ( Greece) and sliced in two. Both halves sank. Three of her ten crew were lost, with the survivors being rescued by Mount Athos and landed at Dover, Kent.[30]
28 July
- Westbrook ( United Kingdom): The tanker caught fire whilst laid up at Barry, Glamorgan. She was consequently scrapped.[23]
29 July
- River Witham ( United Kingdom): The schooner capsized and sank off the Inner Dowsing Light Vessel.
August
11 August
- National Peace ( United States): The tanker ran aground on Kiltan, in the Laccadive Islands, India and was abandoned.[31]
21 August
- Pilar II (
Philippines): The passenger ship foundered 300 nautical miles (560 km) south of Palawan. There were eleven survivors from the 100 people on board.[32]
23 August
- Naranco (
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Spain): The coaster collided with Goldstone ( Panama) in the English Channel off Dungeness, Kent and sank with the loss of one of her 22 crew.[33] - Staxton Wyke ( United Kingdom): The trawler was in collision with Dalhanna ( United Kingdom) and sank 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire with the loss of five of her 21 crew. The sixteen survivors were rescued by Dalhanna.[34]
30 August
- Glen Usk ( United Kingdom) : The passenger ship ran aground in the River Avon. Refloated the next day.[35]
September
4 September
14 September
- Jezebel ( United Kingdom): The schooner sank off Penmon Point, Beaumaris. All six people on board rescued.[37]
27 September
- Changsha (
Australia): Typhoon Vera: The passenger ship was driven aground at Yokkaichi, Japan.[38] - Tjitjalengka ( Netherlands): Typhoon Vera: The passenger ship was driven aground near Nagoya, Japan.[39]
October
4 October
- NRP Comandante Celestino Silva (
Portuguese Navy): The air-sea rescue vessel foundered between Madeira and Lisbon. Crew rescued by the corvette NRP Santa Maria ( Portuguese Navy).[40]
18 October
- Deniz (
Turkey): The ship was boarded by crew from HMS Burnaston (
Royal Navy) off Cyprus and ammunition was discovered on board. Three crew were arrested, but the vessel was scuttled.[41]
Unknown date
- Hindlea ( United Kingdom): The coaster was driven ashore and wrecked. Her crew were rescued by the HolyHead Lifeboat.[42]
November
13 November
- Lough Fisher ( United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground at the southern tip of Öland, Sweden.[43]
23 November
- President Reiz ( United Kingdom): The tanker ran aground at Oslo, Norway and was holed.[44]
- Tanar ( Turkey): The cargo ship was in collision with Kharkov ( Soviet Union) and sank in the North Sea. All crew rescued by Kharkov.[44][45] Kharkov was arrested on arrival at Bremen, West Germany.[45]
- Wansbeck ( United Kingdom): The coaster caught fire at Ghent, Belgium. One crewmember was killed.[44]
24 November
- Holmglen (
New Zealand):The cargo ship sank off Timaru with the loss of 15 lives.
27 October
- Hindlea ( United Kingdom): The coaster was driven ashore in Moelfre Bay, Anglesey and broke in two, a total loss.[23]
30 November
- Braemar Castle ( United Kingdom): The ocean liner was driven ashore at Gibraltar in a gale. Refloated the next day.[46][47]
December
10 December
6 December
- MFV George Robb ( United Kingdom) ran aground at Duncansby Head, Scotland with the loss of all 12 crew.[48]
7 December
- MV Servus ( United Kingdom) ran aground below Dunbeath Castle, Scotland. All crew rescued by life-boat.[49]
8 December
- RNLB Mona (ON 775) ( United Kingdom) capsized out of Broughty Ferry, Scotland with the loss of all 8 crew.
13 December
- Eastern Lucky ( Panama) sprang a leak and sank off Formosa. All 43 crew rescued by Tyne Breeze (
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Hong Kong).
20 December
- Jamin I ( Belgium) ran aground 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) west of the Harmaja Lighthouse, Helsinki. Refloated 5 January 1960, subsequently scrapped.[50]
References
- ↑ "Protection Cruiser Heeled Over" The Times (London). Monday, 11 May 1959. (54457), col E, p. 14.
- ↑ "34 Rescued As British Ship Founders" The Times (London). Thursday, 15 January 1959. (54359), col F, p. 8.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Wednesday, 28 January 1959. (54370), col G, p. 6.
- ↑ "Six Men Rescued By British Tug" The Times (London). Friday, 30 January 1959. (54372), col C, p. 9.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Friday, 6 February 1959. (54378), col G, p. 11.
- ↑ "Belgian Car Ferry Goes Aground" The Times (London). Monday, 9 February 1959. (54380), col F, p. 6.
- ↑ "Five Feared Dead In Tug Collision" The Times (London). Monday, 9 February 1959. (54380), col G, p. 6.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Saturday, 14 February 1959. (54385), col G, p. 5.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Thursday, 26 February 1959. (54395), col G, p. 9.
- ↑ "Iceland Boat Sunk With 12 Crew" The Times (London). Friday, 20 February 1959. (54390), col G, p. 10.
- ↑ "Swedish Ship Aground Off Caithness" The Times (London). Wednesday, 4 March 1959. (54400), col F, p. 7.
- ↑ "Helicopters Take 13 Off Stranded Ship" The Times (London). Wednesday, 18 March 1959. (54412), col G, p. 9.
- ↑ "Russian Ship Sinks After Collision" The Times (London). Tuesday, 24 March 1959. (54417), col G, p. 11.
- ↑ "Merchant and Navy Ship events 1946 – 2000". Rolf Skiöld / MAREUD.com. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ↑ "Line Queen Elizabeth in Collision" The Times (London). Thursday, 30 July 1959. (54526), col A, p. 6.
- ↑ "Picture Gallery" The Times (London). Thursday, 16 April 1959. (54436), col D, p. 12.
- ↑ "British Ship Sinks In Weser Estuary" The Times (London). Monday, 20 April 1959. (54439), col G, p. 8.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Monday, 27 April 1959. (54445), col G, p. 9.
- ↑ "15-hour Hold-up On Seaway" The Times (London). Thursday, 30 April 1959. (54448), col B-D, p. 8.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Saturday, 9 May 1959. (54456), col F, p. 5.
- ↑ "Nile Pleasure Steamer Sinks" The Times (London). Saturday, 9 May 1959. (54456), col D, p. 6.
- ↑ "British Ship Aground Off France" The Times (London). Friday, 22 May 1959. (54467), col E, p. 10.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 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.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Tuesday, 19 May 1959. (54464), col G, p. 9.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Thursday, 7 May 1959. (54454), col G, p. 11.
- ↑ "British Crew In Wreck Drama" The Times (London). Friday, 19 June 1959. (54491), col G, p. 12.
- ↑ "Three Dead In Harbour Oil Inferno" The Times (London). Saturday, 4 July 1959. (54504), col G, p. 6.
- ↑ "Rescue Of Blazing Ship Survivors" The Times (London). Saturday, 4 July 1959. (54504), col G, p. 6.
- ↑ "News in Brief" The Times (London). Tuesday, 21 July 1959. (54518), col G, p. 5.
- ↑ "Three Missing After Channel Collision" The Times (London). Monday, 13 July 1959. (54511), col D, p. 4.
- ↑ "Crew Abandon Stranded U.S. Tanker" The Times (London). Wednesday, 120859. (54537), col G, p. 6.
- ↑ "Ship Sinks Off Philippines" The Times (London). Saturday, 22 August 1959. (54546), col F, p. 6.
- ↑ "Spanish Ship Goes Down Off Kent" The Times (London). Monday, 8 August 1959. (54547), col G, p. 8.
- ↑ "Five Men Lost At Sea" The Times (London). Monday, 24 August 1959. (54547), col G, p. 8.
- ↑ "News in Brief" The Times (London). Tuesday, 1 September 1959. (54554), col G, p. 5.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Monday, 7 September 1959. (54559), col G, p. 8.
- ↑ "Six Rescued After Schooner Sinks" The Times (London). Tuesday, 15 September 1959. (54566), col G, p. 4.
- ↑ "Over 800 Killed by Typhoon" The Times (London). Monday, 28 September 1959. (54577), col C, p. 10.
- ↑ "Japan Death Toll Now 1,799" The Times (London). Tuesday, 30 September 1959. (54579), col D, p. 10.
- ↑ "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Monday, 5 October 1959. (54583), col G, p. 8.
- ↑ "Arms Vessel Scuttled By Crew" The Times (London). Monday, 19 October 1959. (54595), col D, p. 10.
- ↑ Howarth, Patrick (1981). Lifeboat In Danger's Hour. London, New York, Sydney, Toronto: Hamlyn. pp. 134–35. ISBN 0 600 34959 4.
- ↑ "Ships in Distress after 104 M.P.H. Gale" The Times (London). Saturday, 14 November 1959. (54618), col F-G, p. 6.
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 "British Ship On Fire In Ghent" The Times (London). Wednesday, 24 November 1959. (54627), col A, p. 12.
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 "Telegrams in Brief" The Times (London). Friday, 11 December 1959. (54641), col G, p. 11.
- ↑ "Braemar Castle Refloated" The Times (London). Wednesday, 2 December 1959. (54633), col E, p. 9.
- ↑ "Liner That Grounded Resumes Voyage" The Times (London). Friday, 4 December 1959. (54635), col C, p. 11.
- ↑ "MFV George Robb (A406)". WreckSite. 2012. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
- ↑ "MV Servus". WreckSite. 2008. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
- ↑ "Belgian Merchant H-O". Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
See also
| Ship events in 1959 | |||||||||||
| Ship launches: | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
| Ship commissionings: | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
| Ship decommissionings: | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
| Shipwrecks: | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |