List of shipwrecks of the United Kingdom

'Loss of the Anson Frigate, off Cornwall', in an 1808 depiction by William Elmes

This is a list of shipwrecks located in the United Kingdom.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

England

Ship Sunk date Notes Coordinates
HMS A1 1911 An A-class submarine sunk off Bracklesham Bay. 50°44′33″N 0°55′17″W / 50.7425°N 0.9213°W
HMS Affray 16 April 1951 An Amphion-class submarine lost near Hurds Deep. 49°30′N 3°34′W / 49.500°N 3.567°W
HMS Amethyst 15 February 1811 A frigate that served in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, eventually blown ashore at Mount Batten.
HMS Amphion 22 September 1796 A fifth-rate ship that exploded while undergoing repairs at Plymouth.
Amsterdam 26 January 1749 A Dutch East India Company ship that ran aground near Hastings. The wreck site is protected. 52°22′21.00″N 4°54′51.48″E / 52.3725000°N 4.9143000°E
HMS Anson 29 December 1807 A third rate ship of the line wrecked off Loe Bar.
HMS Association 22 October 1707 A second rate ship of the line wrecked off the Isles of Scilly in the Scilly naval disaster of 1707, with about 800 dead.
SMS Baden 16 August 1921 A Bayern-class dreadnought sunk as a target in Hurd Deep. 49°49′42″N 2°23′21″W / 49.82833°N 2.38917°W
HMS Bulwark 26 November 1914 A Formidable-class battleship that exploded off Sheerness with the loss of 736 men. 50°25′N 0°39′E / 50.417°N 0.650°E
MV Cita 26 March 1997 A merchant vessel that ran aground off St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly.
HMS Colossus 10 December 1798 A protected wreck site, broke anchor and ran aground off the Isles of Scilly.
Earl of Abergavenny 5 February 1805 An East Indiaman sunk in Weymouth Bay.
SS Elbe 31 January 1895 A German liner sunk in the North Sea after colliding with the steamship Crathie.
HMS Empress of India 4 November 1914 A battleship sunk as a target in Lyme Bay. 50°29′42″N 2°57′54″W / 50.49500°N 2.96500°W
SS English Trader 26 October 1941 A merchant ship grounded on Hammond Knoll on the northeast Norfolk coast.
HMS Foyle 15 March 1917 A River-class destroyer that struck a mine in the Strait of Dover but sank while under tow to Plymouth 50°16.70′N 04°10.80′W / 50.27833°N 4.18000°W
SS Flying Enterprise 10 January 1952 A steamship that sank after taking damage in a storm.
Grace Dieu 1439 Henry V's flagship, struck by lightning in the River Hamble. Now a protected wrecksite. Wreck found in 1859. 50°53′30″N 1°17′19″W / 50.891665°N 1.28848°W
SMS Grosser Kurfürst 31 May 1878 A turret ship that collided with SMS König Wilhelm off Folkestone, resulting in 269 deaths.
Hindostan 11 January 1803 An East Indiaman caught in a gale off Margate.
HMS Holland 5 8 August 1912 A Holland-class submarine that foundered off Beachy Head while under tow to be scrapped. 50°43′44″N 0°14′53″E / 50.729°N 0.248°E
Hollandia 13 June 1743 An East Indiaman wrecked off the island of Annet with 276 deaths.
HMS Hood 4 November 1914 A pre-dreadnought battleship sunk as a blockship in Portland Harbour. 50°34′09″N 2°25′16″W / 50.56917°N 2.42111°W
MV Ice Prince 15 January 2008 A cargo ship that sank in the English Channel.
HMS Invincible (1765) 16 March 1801 A third rate warship that struck rocks off Happisburgh, ran aground on a sandbank, then sank.
HMS Invincible (1869) 17 September 1914 An Audacious-class battleship that sank in a storm of Portland Bill.
USS Jacob Jones 6 December 1917 A Tucker-class destroyer torpedoed by German submarine SM U-53. 49°23′N 6°13′W / 49.383°N 6.217°W
SS James Eagan Layne 21 March 1945 A Liberty ship, situated in 22 m of water in Whitsand Bay, Cornwall next to the wreck of HMS Scylla. 50°19.602′N 4°14.714′W / 50.326700°N 4.245233°W
HMS K5 20 January 1921 A K-class submarine that sank off the Isles of Scilly en route to a mock battle.
HMS M2 26 January 1932 A British aircraft-carrying submarine shipwrecked in Lyme Bay. 50°34′34″N 2°32′55″W / 50.57611°N 2.54861°W
Maria Asumpta 30 May 1995 A brig that struck rocks at Rump Point. 50°35′40″N 4°55′28″W / 50.594556°N 4.924389°W
Mary Rose 19 July 1545 A Tudor warship sunk in Portsmouth Harbour, possibly during an engagement with the French fleet. Now a protected wrecksite 50°47′59″N 1°06′24″W / 50.79972°N 1.10667°W
RMS Medina 1 February 1917 A Royal Mail Ship torpedoed off Start Point.
SS Mendi 21 February 1917 A troopship rammed by SS Darro off the Isle of Wight. 50°28′0″N 1°33′0″W / 50.46667°N 1.55000°W
SS Mohegan 14 October 1898 Wrecked on The Manacles.
HMS Montagu 29 May 1906 A battleship run aground in fog on Shutter Reef, Lundy.
RMS Mülheim 22 March 2003 German cargo ship that ran ashore at Land's End. Five crew members were airlifted to safety. 50°04′35″N 5°42′45″W / 50.07639°N 5.71250°W
PS Normandy 17 March 1870 A mail steamer that collided with the steamship Mary near The Needles.
MV Nyon 15 June 1962 A Swiss cargo ship that ran aground at Berwickshire in 1958, but was salvaged and repaired. It sunk for the final time off Beachy Head, following a collision.
Preußen 6 November 1910 A five-masted windjammer that was rammed by SS Brighton, and subsequently driven onto rocks off the coast of Dover. 51°8.02′N 1°22.17′E / 51.13367°N 1.36950°E
HMHS Rewa 4 January 1918 A hospital ship torpedoed by German submarine SM U-55. 50°55′N 4°49′W / 50.917°N 4.817°W
SS Richard Montgomery 20 August 1944 A cargo ship run aground off the Nore in the Thames Estuary with over a thousand tons of explosives on board. A protected wreck site, designated as dangerous. 51°27′57″N 0°47′12″E / 51.46583°N 0.78667°E
MS Riverdance 31 January 2008 A RO-RO ferry that ran aground on Blackpool beach and was finally scrapped in place after refloating attempts failed. 53°52′23″N 3°03′09″W / 53.873182°N 3.052444°W
HMS Scylla 27 March 2004 A Leander-class frigate sunk to create an artificial reef for divers and marine life by the National Marine Aquarium.[1] 50°19.655′N 4°15.162′W / 50.327583°N 4.252700°W
HMS Sidon 14 June 1957 An S-class submarine that sunk in Portland Harbour on 16 June 1955 following an explosion. It was later raised and sunk as a target off Weymouth.
St Anthony (aka Santo António) 15 January 1527 A Portuguese carrack that foundered in Gunwalloe Bay, Cornwall. 50°03′00″N 5°17′13″W / 50.050°N 5.287°W
SS Storaa 3 November 1943 A British coaster sunk by a German torpedo near Hastings.
Stella 30 March 1899 LSWR passenger steamer from Southampton to Guernsey that ran onto the Casquets reef with 105 dead.
Swash Channel Wreck The remains of a 17th-century armed merchantman wrecked outside Poole Harbour.
USCGC Tampa 26 September 1918 A cutter that was torpedoed by German submarine SM UB-91 in the Bristol Channel. 50°40′N 6°19′W / 50.667°N 6.317°W
Terukuni Maru 19 November 1939 A Japanese ocean liner that struck a German mine off Harwich. 51°50′N 01°30′E / 51.833°N 1.500°E
Vénus 25 March 1801 A French corvette captured by the British and renamed Scout. She was wrecked off The Needles.
HMS Victory 4 October 1744 A first-rate ship of the line that was lost in a storm, and discovered in 2009 near Salcombe. 49°42.5′N 3°33.3′W / 49.7083°N 3.5550°W
HMS Whiting 15 September 1816 A Baltimore clipper that ran aground on the Doom Bar.

Northern Ireland

Ship Sunk date Notes Coordinates
HMS Drake 2 October 1917 Torpedoed by SM U-79 in Rathlin Sound. 55°17′53″N 6°12′25″W / 55.298°N 6.207°W
Girona 26 October 1588 Foundered and sank off Lacada Point, County Antrim. 55°14′46″N 6°30′15″W / 55.2462°N 6.5043°W
Lagan Sank in collision off Belfast Lough.
Normanby Hall 8 October 1965 Foundered and sunk off Kilroot.
MV Princess Victoria 31 January 1953 Foundered in heavy seas off the Copeland Islands.
State of Louisiana 28 December 1878 A passenger liner that ran aground on Hunter Rock.
Tiberia 26 February 1918 A merchant ship torpedoed and sunk by SM U-19 off Black Head near Larne, County Antrim.
Tullaghmurray Lass February 2002 A Kilkeel fishing boat that sank after a gas explosion. 54°03′36″N 5°59′35″W / 54.060°N 5.993°W

Scotland

Ship Sunk date Notes Coordinates
Akka 1956 Ran aground in the River Clyde.
Annie Jane 1853 Sank off Vatersay, Outer Hebrides, with the loss of 350 lives.[2]
RMS Aurania 4 February 1918 An ocean liner that was torpedoed by SM UB-67 off the coast of Donegal. 56°36′N 6°20′W / 56.600°N 6.333°W
SS Avondale Park 7 May 1945 A cargo ship that was sunk by U-2336 south of the Isle of May. 56°05′N 02°32′W / 56.083°N 2.533°W
SS Breda 23 December 1940 Dutch cargo ship, sunk by two Heinkel 111 bombers in Ardmucknish Bay off Oban. 56°28.55′N 5°25.00′W / 56.47583°N 5.41667°W
SMS Brummer 21 June 1919 A Brummer-class cruiser that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
HMS Caribbean 27 November 1915 Sank 35 miles (56 km) off Cape Wrath due to bad weather.
SMS Cöln 21 June 1919 A Cöln-class cruiser that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter. 58°53′32″N 3°03′00″W / 58.89222°N 3.05000°W
MV Craigantlet 26 February 1982 British container ship run aground at Killantringan lighthouse, Wigtownshire.
HMS Dartmouth 9 October 1690 A frigate wrecked in the Sound of Mull. 56°30′23″N 5°41′45″W / 56.5064°N 5.6957°W
HMS Dasher 27 March 1943 Aircraft carrier sunk by a major internal explosion. Lies in the Clyde estuary. 55°36′38″N 5°00′06″W / 55.61056°N 5.00167°W
SS Desabla 12 June 1915 Intercepted and sunk by German submarine SM U-17, 35 miles (56 km) off Montrose.
SMS Dresden 21 June 1919 A Cöln-class cruiser that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
SS Empire Conveyor 22 June 1940 A cargo ship torpedoed by U-122 off Barra Head.
Flying Phantom 19 December 2007 A tug that sank in foggy conditions in the River Clyde at Clydebank.
HMS Goldfinch 19 February 1915 An Acorn-class destroyer wrecked at Start Point.
El Gran Grifón 27 September 1588 A ship of the Spanish Armada that was wrecked on Fair Isle.
SS Gracechurch 16 August 1940 A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-32 off Lewis, Outer Hebrides. 58°29′N 6°29′W / 58.48°N 06.49°W
HMS Graph 20 March 1944 Formerly the German U-boat U-570. Captured and taken into Royal Navy service in 1942, she ran aground and was wrecked on Islay in 1944. 55°48′06″N 6°28′30″W / 55.80167°N 6.47500°W
HMS Hampshire 5 June 1916 British armored cruiser that struck a mine off Orkney. 59°7′2″N 3°23′46″W / 59.11722°N 3.39611°W
SS Hispania 18 December 1954 A Swedish steamboat that struck rocks in the Sound of Mull. 56°33′55″N 5°59′13″W / 56.56528°N 5.98694°W
HMS Imogen 16 July 1940 An I-class destroyer that collided with HMS Glasgow off Duncansby Head. 58°34′N 02°54′W / 58.567°N 2.900°W
SS Inoski 28 March 1918 A steamship that was torpedoed by SM U-96 south of Burrow Head.
HMS Iolaire 1 January 1919 An admiralty yacht sank in The Minch outside Stornoway harbour with the loss of 205 men returning from World War I. 58°11′16″N 6°20′59″W / 58.18774°N 6.34971°W
SS John Randolph 6 July 1942 Struck a mine and was later wrecked at Torrisdale Bay.
SMS Karlsruhe 21 June 1919 A Königsberg-class cruiser that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
HMS King Edward VII 6 January 1916 A King Edward VII-class battleship that struck a mine laid by SMS Möwe off Cape Wrath.
SMS König 21 June 1919 A König-class battleship that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
SMS Kronprinz 21 June 1919 A König-class battleship that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
SS Leadgate 8 March 1943 A straggler from Convoy SC-121 that was hit by a torpedo from U-642 and sank west of the Hebrides. The master and 25 crewmembers were lost.
SMS Markgraf 21 June 1919 A König-class battleship that was among the 74 ships scuttled in Scapa Flow by Admiral Reuter.
Orion June 1850 A paddle steamer that sank off Wigtownshire.
HMS Port Napier 27 November 1940 British minelayer ran aground in the Kyle of Lochalsh, caught fire while being unloaded, destroyed by explosion. 57°15.98′N 5°41.18′W / 57.26633°N 5.68633°W
Rondo 25 January 1935 Sunk in the Sound of Mull in a storm. 56°32.30′N 5°54.75′W / 56.53833°N 5.91250°W
HMS Royal Oak 14 October 1939 A Revenge-class battleship torpedoed in Scapa Flow, with 833 deaths. 58°55′51″N 2°59′00″W / 58.93083°N 2.98333°W
San Juan de Silicia 5 November 1588 A ship of the Spanish Armada that was blown up at Tobermory.
HMS Sealion 13 March 1945 An S-class submarine scuttled off the Isle of Arran. 55°10′N 2°11′E / 55.167°N 2.183°E
SS Seniority 8 November 1950 A cargo ship that sank off the Bo Vich Chuan Rock in the Outer Hebrides.
SS St. Sunniva 10 April 1930 A cruise ship that ran aground on the island of Mousa.
Swan 13 September 1653 A warship that sunk in a storm while anchored off Duart Castle.
SS Thesis 16 October 1889 A steamship that ran aground on a reef in the Sound of Mull.
SS Tuscania 5 February 1918 An ocean liner that was torpedoed by SM UB-77 off Islay, Inner Hebrides. 55°37′N 6°26′W / 55.617°N 6.433°W
U-33 12 February 1940 A Type VIIA U-boat that was sunk by HMS Gleaner in the Firth of Clyde. 55°25′N 05°07′W / 55.417°N 5.117°W
U-297 6 December 1944 A Type VIIC/41 U-boat that was sunk by a British aircraft 16 miles west of Yesnaby, Orkney Islands.
U-714 14 March 1945 German U-Boat, discovered in the Firth of Forth in 2007. 55°34′N 1°34′W / 55.57°N 01.57°W
U-1206 14 April 1945 A Type VIIC U-boat that sprung a leak and sank off Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire. 57°21′N 01°39′W / 57.350°N 1.650°W
Unknown shipwreck Found in 2000.[3]
Valkyrie II 5 July 1894 A cutter that collided with Satanita on the Firth of Clyde. 55°36′50″N 4°57′00″W / 55.614°N 4.950°W
HMS Vandal 24 February 1943 A U-class submarine sunk off Lochranza four days after commissioning. 55°43′N 5°20′W / 55.717°N 5.333°W
HMS Vanguard 9 July 1917 A St. Vincent-class battleship that exploded and sank at Scapa Flow, with about 804 deaths. 58°51′24″N 3°06′22″W / 58.8566°N 3.1062°W
Varyag 1925 A Russian protected cruiser that ran aground and sank in the Firth of Clyde. 55°11′03″N 04°56′30″W / 55.18417°N 4.94167°W
HMS Vivid 8 July 1913 A training ship of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, ran aground and wrecked at Colonsay of her first voyage as a training ship.

Wales

Ship Sunk date Notes Coordinates
Amazonese 15 April 1881 A cargo steamship that ran aground at St. David's Head.
Behar 24 November 1940 A 6,100 ton steamer, 436 ft (133 m) in length, with a cargo of 4,700 tons of government stores, allegedly including Harley Davidson motorbikes. Sunk by magnetic parachute mine in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.[4]
Calburga 13 November 1915 A Canadian barque that ran aground in a gale off Strumble Head.
SS Castilian 12 February 1943 A cargo ship that ran aground off The Skerries, Anglesey. 53°25.0107′N 4°35.9176′W / 53.4168450°N 4.5986267°W
HMS Conway 14 April 1953 A training ship wrecked near Menai Bridge.
Dakotian 21 November 1940 A 6,400 ton steamer, 400 ft (120 m) in length, with a cargo of 1,300 tons of tinplate. Sunk by magnetic parachute mine approx 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Dale in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.
Diamond 2 January 1825 A protected wrecksite; a three-masted square rigger with a composite hull, forerunner of the Ocean liners, lost in Cardigan Bay. 52°31′12″N 4°32′28″W / 52.520°N 4.541°W
MV Empire Beacon 5 April 1942 A coastal trading vessel that struck a mine off Pembrokeshire. 51°41′N 5°10′W / 51.683°N 5.167°W
Faraday 25 March 1941 A cable layer that was attacked by a Heinkel He 111 off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, and sank the following day off St Anne's Head. It is now a protected wreck.
PS Lelia 14 January 1865 A steamship that sank in a storm off the Great Orme. 53°22′16″N 3°50′56″W / 53.371°N 3.849°W
Loch Shiel (aka Whiskey Wreck) 30 January 1877 A 1218 ton rigged sailing ship, 225 ft (69 m) in length, with a cargo of 7000 cases of whiskey, beer & general goods. Ran aground at Thorn Island west of Dale in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. Now sits in 20 m of water, is very broken up, but the brick ballast is still visible.[5]
Lucy 14 February 1967 A 52 m coaster, sank off Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, while carrying a cargo of calcium carbide.[6][7]
HMY Mary 25 March 1675 A protected wrecksite; the first British Royal Yacht, hit rocks in fog off Anglesey. 53°15′54″N 4°21′47″W / 53.265°N 4.363°W
Ocean Monarch 25 August 1848 A barque that caught fire and sank northeast of Llandudno. 53°25′40.00″N 3°35′27.00″W / 53.4277778°N 3.5908333°W
Pacific January 1856 A Collins Line transatlantic steamer that sank (possibly in the Irish Sea) from unknown causes. Wreck found in 1986.
SV Paul 30 October 1925 A four masted windjammer that was wrecked on the Cefn Sidan sands. 51°44′00″N 4°22′30″W / 51.7332°N 4.3749°W
Resurgam II 25 February 1880 A protected wrecksite near Rhyl. 53°23.78′N 03°33.18′W / 53.39633°N 3.55300°W
Rothsay Castle 18 August 1831 A paddle steamer that ran aground and broke up at the eastern end of the Menai Strait in 1831. 53°17′00″N 04°00′30″W / 53.28333°N 4.00833°W
Royal Charter 26 October 1859 A steam clipper driven onto rocks near Moelfre, Anglesey. 53°21′14″N 4°14′06″W / 53.354°N 4.235°W
SS Samtampa 23 April 1947 A steamship wrecked off Sker Point. 51°30′01″N 03°44′26″W / 51.50028°N 3.74056°W
MV Swanland 27 November 2011 Sank after hitting a large wave following gale force 8 conditions 20 miles off the coast of Anglesey.
SM U-58 17 November 1917 A Type U 57 U-boat that was sunk by USS Fanning in the Action of 17 November 1917. 51°32′N 05°21′W / 51.533°N 5.350°W
U-1302 7 March 1945 A Type VIIC/41 U-boat that was sunk by Canadian frigates in St. George's Channel. 52°19′N 5°23′W / 52.317°N 5.383°W
SS Walter L M Russ 15 July 1945 A German cargo ship that was captured by the Allies and ran aground at Grassholm. 51°43′51″N 5°28′53″W / 51.7308°N 5.4814°W
HMS Whirlwind 29 October 1974 A W-class destroyer that was sunk as a target in Cardigan Bay. 52°16′47″N 04°40′41″W / 52.27972°N 4.67806°W

References

  1. ↑ "Warship scuttled in Cornish bay". BBC News. 27 March 2004.
  2. ↑ "Annie Jane". Wreck site. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "SCI/TECH | North Sea wreck in methane mystery". BBC News. 29 November 2000. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "THE LOCH SHIEL – 92". Divernet. 14 August 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Diving MV Lucy". Divernet.com. 14 February 1967. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  7. ↑ "Lucy Wreck". Dive-pembrokeshire.com. Retrieved 27 April 2010.