List of shipwrecks in 1973

The list of shipwrecks in 1973 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1973.

table of contents
← 1972 1973 1974 →
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date
References

Ship	State	Description
Donna R	United States	The fishing vessel sank in Port Etches in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska.^[1]
Kelly B	United States	The fishing vessel exploded while refueling in Cedar Bay (60°33′30″N 146°00′30″W / 60.55833°N 146.00833°W / 60.55833; -146.00833 (Cedar Bay)) in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska.^[2]

Ship	State	Description
Auralyn	United Kingdom	The yacht was struck by a whale and sank in the Pacific Ocean. Sailors Maurice and Maralyn Bailey were rescued after 117 days on a liferaft.
Neptune I	United States	The fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska between Cape Spencer in Southeast Alaska and Kodiak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago, about 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi) south of Middleton Island off the south-central coast of Alaska. A United States Coast Guard helicopter rescued all five members of her crew from a life raft.^[8]

Ship	State	Description
Anita	Norway	The cargo ship disappeared without a trace in a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of all 32 crew. This ship and Norse Variant sank in the same storm. No distress call was ever received. According to researchers, the ship was likely sunk by a rogue wave.^[9]^[10]^[11]
Loch Seaforth	United Kingdom	The ferry ran aground on Sleit Rock in the Sound of Gunna, between Tiree and Coll. All on board took to the lifeboats. Loch Seaforth was refloated but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped.
Norse Variant	Norway	The bulk carrier foundered in a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. The incident occurred in the same storm as the disappearance of Anita, and, like with that incident, was also likely caused by a rogue wave, according to researchers.^[9]^[10] Only one person survived of the 30 crew.^[3]
Thunder	Panama	The collier foundered north of Crete, Greece (36°44′N 26°11′E / 36.733°N 26.183°E / 36.733; 26.183). She was on a voyage from Eleusis, Greece to Cyprus.^[12]

Ship	State	Description
Belle Virtue	West Germany	The coaster ship collided with Maritime Pioneer ( Panama) in the English Channel and sank. All eight crew were rescued by Suderau ( West Germany).^[19]
Globe Star	Singapore	The cargo ship ran aground on the Nyali Reef, off Mombasa, Kenya. Five people were killed during salvage operations in November 1973, the ship was later scrapped in situ.

Ship	State	Description
USS Herndon	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gleaves-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Florida.
Star No. 70	United States	The 39-gross register ton, 61.4-foot (18.7 m) fishing vessel sank in the South Arm of Chomley Sound (55°17′N 132°04′W / 55.283°N 132.067°W / 55.283; -132.067 (Chomley Sound)) off Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.^[27]

Ship	State	Description
Ell-Dora	United States	The 17-gross register ton, 39-foot (11.9 m) fishing vessel was wrecked near Shuyak Island in Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago.^[28]
USS Gherardi	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gleaves-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.

Ship	State	Description
Conoco Britannia	Liberia	The supertanker ran aground off Immingham, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom,^[32] and was holed when her anchor pierced the hull. She was refloated the next day.^[33]
Saudi	India	The merchantman-passenger ship with 98 passengers capsized in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia with the loss of 40 people. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jonas Ingram rescued 48 surviving passengers and crew, and recovered nine bodies. The other 31 were reported missing and presumed dead. ^[34]

Ship	State	Description
Cherry Venture	Singapore	Cherry Venture The cargo ship was driven aground in a storm at Teewah Beach, Australia. She was scrapped in situ in 2007.
Clive Steele	Philippines	The landing ship, medium was struck by rockets in the Mekong Delta. She was beached and abandoned.

Ship	State	Description
Condesito	Spain	The cargo ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean off Tenerife after running aground 50 metres (164 ft) from the Punta Rasca Lighthouse.
Elva V	United States	The 45-foot (13.7 m) crab-fishing vessel struck a rock and sank near Kodiak, Alaska. Her crew of three reached shore in a skiff and were rescued by a passing crab-fishing vessel.^[28]

Ship	State	Description
Cayo Largo 17	Cuba	The fishing boat was attacked and sunk by a Cuban-exile-operated boat. One militia member was killed in the attack on Cayo Largo 17 and the fishing boat Cayo Largo 34. Cuban helicopters rescued the survivors.^[62]
Cayo Largo 34	Cuba	The fishing boat was attacked and sunk by a Cuban-exile-operated boat. One militia member was killed in the attack on Cayo Largo 34 and the fishing boat Cayo Largo 17. Cuban helicopters rescued the survivors.^[62]

Ship	State	Description
Arwa	Yemen	Yom Kippur War: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk by Israeli Army artillery at Adabiya, Egypt in Suez Bay.^[30]^[63]
Hitin	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The Yarmouk-class minesweeper was struck by three Gabriel missiles launched from INS Hanit ( Israeli Navy) and sank.^[64]
No. 21	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The No. 21-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from INS Garash ( Israeli Navy) and sank.^[64]
No. 22	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The No. 21-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from INS Garash ( Israeli Navy) and sank (or sunk on 11 October).^[64]
No. 42	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The No. 41-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from Israeli missile boats and was beached to prevent sinking. She was then shelled and sunk with 76 mm fire by INS Miznah ( Israeli Navy).^[65]
No. 44	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The No. 41-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from Israeli missile boats and sank.^[65]
Unknown Syrian torpedo boat	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Latakia: The Project 123 motor torpedo boat was shelled and sunk by INS Hanit ( Israeli Navy).^[65]

Ship	State	Description
INS No. 864 and INS No. 867	Israeli Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Marsa Talamat: Both Dabur-class patrol boats ran aground temporarily during the battle. One killed and seven wounded during the battle.^[30]
Unknown Egyptian assault boat	Egyptian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Marsa Talamat: The armed Bertram-built cabin cruiser was sunk at anchor at Telma, along with two rubber boats tied to it by INS No. 864 and INS No. 867 (both Israeli Navy).^[30]

Ship	State	Description
Egyptian missile boat No. 323	Egyptian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Baltim: The No. 301-class missile boat was struck by a Gabriel missile launched from INS Keshet ( Israeli Navy) and was shelled and sunk by INS Misgav ( Israeli Navy).^[65]
Egyptian missile boat No. 390	Egyptian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Baltim: The No. 301-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from Israeli missile boats and was shelled and sunk by INS Reshef ( Israeli Navy).^[65]
Unknown Egyptian missile boat	Egyptian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Battle of Baltim: The No. 301-class missile boat ran aground during a battle with Israeli missile boats. Later refloated, repaired and returned to service.^[65]

Ship	State	Description
Randa	Lebanon	The cargo ship was sunk by a mine off Tripoli, Libya.^[30]^[66]
Unidentified missile boat	Egyptian Navy	Yom Kippur War: The No. 783-class missile boat was sunk by Israeli frogmen at Hurghada, Egypt.^[67]

Ship	State	Description
Cap de la Hague	France	The dredger capsized and sank off Calais. Six crew were trapped in the sunken vessel.^[68] One man was rescued after 68 hours.^[69]
Elvekema	United States	The motor vessel sank at Cordova, Alaska.^[28]
No. 22	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Second Battle of Latakia: The No. 21-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from INS Garash ( Israeli Navy) and sank (or sunk on 6 October).^[64]
No. 43	Syrian Navy	Yom Kippur War: Second Battle of Latakia: The No. 41-class missile boat was struck by Gabriel missiles launched from Israeli Navy missile boats and was beached to prevent her from sinking.^[65]

Ship	State	Description
Bakr	Egypt	Yom Kippur War: The survey vessel was sunk near Ras Gharib, Egypt, by missiles fired by Israeli Air Force aircraft.^[72]
18 Egyptian fishing vessels	Egypt	Yom Kippur War: 18 fishing vessels were shelled and destroyed at Ras Gharib, Egypt by INS No. 861, INS No. 862, INS No. 863, INS No. 864, and INS No. 881 (all Israeli Navy).^[73]

Ship	State	Description
African Glen	United States	Yom Kippur War: The blocked in cargo ship was sunk by Israeli Air Force aircraft in the Suez Canal, Egypt in the Bitter Lakes. Two Egyptian soldiers were killed.^[74]^[75]
Dauntless	United States	The 91-foot (27.7 m) crab- and halibut-fishing vessel departed Ketchikan, Alaska, bound for Kodiak on Kodiak Island and was never heard from again. The bodies of the four people aboard were never found.^[1]
Unknown submersible	Israeli Navy	Yom Kippur War: Operation Lady: Battle of Port Said: The Hazir submersible was lost during the operation. Two frogmen killed, one missing.^[76]

Ship	State	Description
Gotze Delched	Bulgaria	The cargo ship sank in a storm at Palermo, Italy.^[80]
Nuova Ustica	Italy	The ferry sank in a storm at Palermo.^[80]

Ship	State	Description
Golar Patricia	Liberia	The supertanker exploded and sank in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of one of the 44 people on board. The survivors were rescued by the ocean liner Cabo San Vicente ( Spain).^[81]
Rebel	United States	The fishing vessel sank in Frederick Sound off the northeast coast of Kupreanof Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska abeam of Big Creek and Cape Fanshaw (57°11′N 133°33′W / 57.183°N 133.550°W / 57.183; -133.550 (Cape Fanshaw)).^[82]

Ship	State	Description
British Mallard	United Kingdom	The tanker ran aground at Grimsnes, Norway.^[83]
USS Fitch	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gleaves-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Florida.

Ship	State	Description
Gapern	Sweden	The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank 50 nautical miles (93 km) off the coast of Northumberland. All eleven crew were rescued by the trawler Kingston Emerald ( United Kingdom).^[84]
Seafarer	United States	The shrimper sank in the Gulf of Alaska off the west coast of Kodiak Island 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) north of Uganik Bay (57°50′N 153°32′W / 57.833°N 153.533°W / 57.833; -153.533 (Uganik Bay)). A United States Coast Guard helicopter rescued her entire crew of four.^[27]

Ship	State	Description
USS Frankford	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gleaves-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.
Western Salvor	United States	While under tow by a tug and carrying a cargo of 1,000,000 board feet (2,360 cubic meters) of sawlogs, the logging barge broke loose in rough seas, drifted ashore on the south coast of Kruzof Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska, and broke up in the surf.^[77]

Ship	State	Description
H. W. Long	United States	The 53-foot (16.2 m) tug was reported in 1973 to have sunk. Her wreck lies in 70 feet (21 m) of water in the North Atlantic Ocean off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, at 40°25.433′N 073°52.204′W / 40.423883°N 73.870067°W / 40.423883; -73.870067 (H. W. Long).^[93]
USNS Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton	United States Naval Service	The Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship ran aground off Triton Island, South China Sea and was abandoned.
Kuroshio	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	The decommissioned Gato-class submarine was sunk as a target.
Levernbank	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground near Matarani, Peru. She was refloated but consequently sank.^[94]
Thames	United States	The 55-foot (16.8 m) tug sank during a storm in 100 to 130 feet (30 to 40 m) of water in Long Island Sound 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) northwest of Horton's Point in Southold, Long Island, New York, and 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) south-southwest of Cornfield Point at 41°09.321′N 072°25.068′W / 41.155350°N 72.417800°W / 41.155350; -72.417800 (Thames) in the autumn of 1973.^[95]^[96]^[97]
Westmoreland	United Kingdom	The Thames barge foundered in the River Medway at Hoo, Kent.^[98]
YOGN-119 or YON 367	United States Navy	The tank barge was sunk as a target sometime in 1973.^[99]

v t e Ship events in 1973
Ship launches	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Ship commissionings	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Ship decommissionings	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Shipwrecks	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978

9 January

21 January

22 January

31 January

2 February

15 February

23 February

3 March

4 March

12 March

22 March

27 March

28 March

2 April

4 April

19 April

24 April

27 April

3 May

5 May

6 May

11 May

13 May

15 May

16 May

21 May

24 May

2 June

3 June

12 June

13 June

21 June

22 June

25 June

27 June

Unknown date

4 July

6 July

19 July

20 July

22 July

24 July

28 July

Unknown date

5 August

14 August

19 August

23 August

29 August

31 August

4 September

10 September

15 September

16 September

22 September

25 September

27 September

28 September

29 September

1 October

4 October

5 October

6 October

7 October

8 October

10 October

11 October

12 October

13 October

14 October

16 October

17 October

21 October

23 October

24 October

25 October

26 October

Unknown date

3 November

6 November