List of shipwrecks in 1978

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The list of shipwrecks in 1978 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1978.

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← 1977
1978
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Jan Feb Mar Apr
May Jun Jul Aug
Sep Oct Nov Dec
Unknown date
References

5 January

List of shipwrecks: 5 January 1978
ShipStateDescription
Chandragupta India The supercarrier Chandragupta sank in a January storm in the Pacific Ocean. 68 crewmembers died with the ship, which left an enormous trail of wreckage in the water, scattered over a 36-mile (58 km) area.[1] Researchers ascribed the cause of an incident to an encounter with a rogue wave.[2] This is one of the 22 supercarriers believed to have been sunk by rogue waves from 1968 to 1995, and the incident associated with the greatest loss of life.

7 January

List of shipwrecks: 7 January 1978
ShipStateDescription
Bolero Honduras Sank in the Black Sea off Kilyos, Turkey.[3]

12 January

List of shipwrecks: 12 January 1978
ShipStateDescription
Function United Kingdom The vessel grounded on the quayside at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk due to surge tide.[4] The ship was cut up for scrap later that month.[5]
Gloriosa Cyprus The cargo ship foundered off the coast of Norfolk, United Kingdom. Five crew were killed.[4]
Holmar Netherlands The coaster capsized and sank 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) north east of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire with the loss of five crew.[4]
Sea Diamond Greece The cargo ship foundered off Lowestoft, Suffolk with the loss of seven crew.[4]

13 January

List of shipwrecks: 13 January 1978
ShipStateDescription
Duperré  French Navy The destroyer was driven ashore on the coast of Brittany, France. A total of 233 crew were removed by a French coast guard helicopter. A French tug refloated the ship.[6]

26 January

List of shipwrecks: 26 January 1978
ShipStateDescription
USS Ross  United States Navy The Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.

February

2 February

List of shipwrecks: 2 February 1978
ShipStateDescription
Orion United Kingdom The oil rig, being towed on a barge, ran aground at Guernsey, Channel Islands, when the tow broke in a storm. Her crew were rescued by the St. Peter Port Lifeboat and Royal Navy helicopters.[7]

3 February

List of shipwrecks: 3 February 1978
ShipStateDescription
Maria Dormio Italy The Tudor Queen-class coaster sprang a leak and sank in the Tyrrhenian Sea 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) southwest of Cape Miseno, Italy. She was on a voyage from "Baia" to Porto Empedocle, Sicily.[8]

7 February

List of shipwrecks: 7 February 1978
ShipStateDescription
Can Do United States Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978: The 42-foot (13 m) pilot boat capsized and sank off Marblehead, Massachusetts, during a blizzard with the loss of all five people on board. She was refloated in 1981, repaired, and returned to service as a towing vessel with the name Grampus.[9][10]
Peter Stuyvesant United States Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978: The 1,129-gross register ton motor vessel — a former passenger ship in use as a floating function hall and waiting area for the restaurant Anthony's Pier 4 in Boston, Massachusetts — broke free of her permanent docking cradle during a blizzard and sank without loss of life in 20 feet (6.1 m) of water in Boston Harbor beside the west side of Pier 4 at 42°21′12″N 071°02′30″W / 42.35333°N 71.04167°W / 42.35333; -71.04167 (Peter Stuyvesant). Her wreck was removed in February 2017 and scrapped.[11][12]

10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1978
ShipStateDescription
Eastern Saturn United Kingdom The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank whilst on a voyage from Bangkok, Thailand to Apapa, Nigeria.[13]

23 February

List of shipwrecks: 23 February 1978
ShipStateDescription
USS Rowe  United States Navy The Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.

March

10 March

List of shipwrecks: 10 March 1978
ShipStateDescription
Mastro Costas Greece The cargo ship, which had been abandoned at Monrovia, Liberia following an engine breakdown, was beached between Monrovia and the Lofa River.[14]

16 March

List of shipwrecks: 16 March 1978
ShipStateDescription
Amoco Cadiz France
Amoco Cadiz.

The tanker ran aground on Portsall Rocks, three nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) off the coast of Brittany, and was wrecked. She was loaded with 255,000 tonnes of crude oil.

19 March

23 March

List of shipwrecks: 23 March 1978
ShipStateDescription
Kronos  Greece The Near-Warrior type tug was struck by the cruise ship Romanza ( Panama) whilst berthed at Piraeus and was severely damaged. She was declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped.[16]

29 March

List of shipwrecks: 29 March 1978
ShipStateDescription
Holmur Denmark The 157-foot (48 m), 412-ton cargo ship, a converted trawler, stranded at Olafsjondur, Iceland, a total loss.[17][18]

April

1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1978
ShipStateDescription
Federal St Laurent Liberia The vessel was in a collision with Chimo and grounded at Grondines, Quebec, Canada. The ship was refloated on 4 April and returned to service.[19]
Two unknown vessels Kampuchea The vessels, possibly Swift boats or auxiliary patrol boats, were sunk by a Vietnamese Navy vessel north east of Hon Doc Island.[20]

7 April

List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1978
ShipStateDescription
Astron Panama
Astron, 2008

The cargo ship ran aground at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and was wrecked.[21]

11 April

List of shipwrecks: 11 April 1978
ShipStateDescription
Boston Typhoon South Africa The 137.6-foot (41.9 m), 425-ton trawler suffered an engine room fire in April and was declared a total loss. She was scuttled on 11 April off Robben Island.[22]

14 April

List of shipwrecks: 14 April 1978
ShipStateDescription
Henrietta B Denmark The coaster foundered 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) off The Lizard, Cornwall. All thirteen crew were rescued by a French warship.[23]

May

2 May

List of shipwrecks: 2 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Miss Belle United States Under tow by the fishing vessel Pacific Sea ( United States) after drifting for three days after her engine failed, the double-ended fishing vessel capsized and sank on the west side of Cape Suckling (59°59′30″N 143°53′00″W / 59.99167°N 143.88333°W / 59.99167; -143.88333 (Cape Suckling)) on the south-central coast of Alaska after a huge wave struck her broadside. Pacific Sea rescued her crew of two.[24]

6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Eleni V Greece The tanker collided with the bulk carrier Roseline ( France) off the Norfolk coast and capsized, remaining afloat for a number of days afterwards.[25] The bow section was blown up and sunk on 1 June.[26] About 5,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil were spilt.[27]

12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Zeehaan South Africa The motor vessel foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Namibia at 20°42′S 12°46′E / 20.700°S 12.767°E / -20.700; 12.767.[28]

18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Boston Lightning United Kingdom The 138-foot (42 m), 391-ton trawler was sunk by an explosion on the Dogger Bank 160 miles (260 km) east of the River Tyne while hauling in her nets, probably caused by a naval mine or other munitions. The crew were rescued by an unknown German yacht.[29]

19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Unknown fishing vessels Ethiopia Eritrean War of Independence: An unknown number of fishing vessels were shelled and sunk by the Ethiopian Navy along the coast of the Eritrean part of the Ethiopian coast.[30]

22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
Blind Faith United States The bowpicker was destroyed by fire and abandoned in the Copper River Flats near Pete Dahl Slough (60°23′N 145°27′W / 60.383°N 145.450°W / 60.383; -145.450 (Pete Dahl Slough)) on the south-central coast of Alaska.[31]

29 May

30 May

List of shipwrecks: 30 May 1978
ShipStateDescription
R. I. P. United States The gillnetter sank off of “The Castle” (60°20′N 145°12′W / 60.333°N 145.200°W / 60.333; -145.200 (The Castle)) on the Copper River Flats on the south-central coast of Alaska.[33]

June

12 June

List of shipwrecks: 12 June 1978
ShipStateDescription
Sonny Boy United States The 70-foot (21.3 m) vessel sank off the Aleutian Islands 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) from Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The vessels Cape Lynch and Crystal (both United States) rescued her crew.[34]

13 June

List of shipwrecks: 13 June 1978
ShipStateDescription
Yellowstone United States The bulk carrier collided with cargo ship Ibn Batouta ( Algeria) and sank off Gibraltar.[35]

17 June

List of shipwrecks: 17 June 1978
ShipStateDescription
Whippoorwill United States The tourist boat capsized on Pomona Lake in Franklin County, Kansas, after a tornado hit her. Sixteen of the 58 people on board drowned.

25 June

List of shipwrecks: 28 June 1978
ShipStateDescription
Chantal Panama The cargo ship sprang a leak off Cape Engaño, Dominican Republic and was beached. She was declared a total loss.

28 June

List of shipwrecks: 28 June 1978
ShipStateDescription
Margaret Smith United Kingdom The collier capsized off Cowes, Isle of Wight (52°42′N 1°28′W / 52.700°N 1.467°W / 52.700; -1.467) and was towed to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. She sank the next day.[36][37]

July

1 July

List of shipwrecks: 1 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Meteor United States The 30-foot (9.1 m) fishing vessel burned and sank in Whale Pass (57°56′N 152°50′W / 57.933°N 152.833°W / 57.933; -152.833 (Whale Pass)) in the Kodiak Archipelago between Kodiak Island and Whale Island.[24]

2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Roberta Jean United States The fishing vessel sank in the Pacific Ocean with the loss of all hands. One body was recovered from the ocean off Bahia Tortugas, Mexico.

5 July

List of shipwrecks: 5 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Sea Rooter United States The Bayliner Sport Cruiser ran aground in Strawberry Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) from Point Bentinck (60°24′N 146°00′W / 60.400°N 146.000°W / 60.400; -146.000 (Point Bentinck)) off the south-central coast of Alaska and capsized in the surf. The only person on board died.[34]

8 July

List of shipwrecks: 8 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
USS Sealion  United States Navy The Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off Newport, Rhode Island.

18 July

List of shipwrecks: 18 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Birgo Norway The bulk carrier was scuttled in Nedstrandfjorden by the ship owner in an insurance fraud scheme.

23 July

List of shipwrecks: 23 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Jayawang Singapore The cargo ship sank off Bangkok, Thailand. She was raised in November 1979 and moved to a new anchorage but sank again.[38]

30 July

List of shipwrecks: 30 July 1978
ShipStateDescription
Locuste  French Navy The Aloe-class net laying ship struck a reef in the Pacific Ocean off Cikobia Island, Fiji, and sank.

August

3 August

List of shipwrecks: 3 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
SAS Transvaal  South African Navy The Loch-class frigate was scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay.

12 August

List of shipwrecks: 12 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
Saint Paul United States The troller struck a rock and sank in Southeast Alaska near Elfin Cove and George Island northwest of Juneau.[34]

18 August

List of shipwrecks: 18 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
Itasca United States The 64-gross register ton, 64.6-foot (19.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Sakie Bay (55°04′N 133°14′W / 55.067°N 133.233°W / 55.067; -133.233 (Sakie Bay)) near Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[39]

24 August

List of shipwrecks: 24 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
Jeffery Allen United States The 75-foot (22.9 m) vessel sank with the loss of one life southwest of Puale Bay (57°41′N 155°29′W / 57.683°N 155.483°W / 57.683; -155.483 (Puale Bay)) on the coast of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska. The vessel Cape Fairwell ( United States) rescued her three survivors. Jeffery Allen was salvaged in October 1979.[40]
Mary Weston United Kingdom The coaster collided with Macasse ( Ivory Coast) and sank in the Seine 16 nautical miles (30 km) downstream of Rouen, France with the loss of four of her five crew.[41][42]

27 August

List of shipwrecks: 27 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
USS Cree  United States Navy The decommissioned Cherokee-class fleet tug was sunk as a target.

31 August

List of shipwrecks: 27 August 1978
ShipStateDescription
Atlantico
Jolly Azzurro		 Spain
Panama		 The cargo ships collided in the Strait of Gibraltar. Atlantico was towed into Gibraltar in a severely damaged condition. Jolly Azzurro sank with the loss of one of her sixteen crew; another was reported missing.[43]

September

1 September

List of shipwrecks: 1 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Jolly Azzuro Panama The cargo ship collided with Atlantico ( Spain) in the Strait of Gibraltar and sank. Atlantico sustained severe damage to her bows.[44]

6 September

List of shipwrecks: 6 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Wild Dog United States The 18-gross register ton motor vessel sank off Ugak Bay, Alaska.[45]

8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Bandeirante Norway The tanker collided with the bulk carrier Maroudio ( Greece) and sank off Ouessant, France. The bulk carrier August Pacific ( United Kingdom) washed out her tanks in the area where the accident occurred. She was forced to stop by L'Alerte ( Marine Nationale) after ignoring demands from the dredger Baccarat ( France) to stop. Her captain was fined ₣50,000 (then £5,800) for illegally discharging the oil.[46]
Two unidentified vessels Kampuchea The vessels, possibly Patrol Craft Fast or auxiliary patrol boats, were sunk by a Vietnamese People's Navy vessel near Hon Doc Island.[20]

13 September

14 September

List of shipwrecks: 14 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Ibn al Qis Libyan Navy The landing ship was destroyed by fire while at sea during an amphibious landing exercise on the night of 14–15 September.[48]

18 September

List of shipwrecks: 18 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Gertrude Ann United States The fishing vessel capsized and was lost off Sitkinak Island in Alaska′s Kodiak Archipelago.[15]

20 September

List of shipwrecks: 20 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Angel Japan The cargo ship collided with Dignity ( Greece) 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) off Porto, Portugal and sank with the loss of eleven of her 24 crew.[49]

27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Saint Augustine United States The 42-foot (12.8 m) vessel was stranded and sank in Danger Bay, also known as Kazakof Bay (58°06′N 152°55′W / 58.100°N 152.917°W / 58.100; -152.917 (Kazakof Bay)) on the coast of Afognak in the Kodiak Archipelago off the coast of Alaska. The United States Coast Guard rescued her two-man crew.[34]

29 September

List of shipwrecks: 29 September 1978
ShipStateDescription
Puerto Princesa Philippines Typhoon Lola: The cargo ship drove into Fides Orient ( Singapore) at Manila and was damaged beyond economic repair. Subsequently scrapped.[50]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1978
ShipStateDescription
Kimon Cyprus Lebanese Civil War: The coaster was sunk by rockets in Beirut harbor, Lebanon. Raised in 1981 and scrapped or towed to sea and scuttled.[51][52]

October

2 October

List of shipwrecks: 2 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Marion A United States The 37-gross register ton, 39-foot (11.9 m) crab-fishing vessel capsized and sank with the loss of two lives in Geese Channel (56°45′N 153°53′W / 56.750°N 153.883°W / 56.750; -153.883 (Geese Channel)) off Aiaktalik Island (56°42′27″N 154°03′24″W / 56.7075°N 154.0568°W / 56.7075; -154.0568 (Aiaktalik Island)) in the Kodiak Archipelago off Alaska. The lone survivor was rescued from the island on 13 October by the fishing vessel Moonsong ( United States).[24]

3 October

List of shipwrecks: 3 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
HMCS Kapuskasing  Canadian Forces Maritime Command The Algerine-class minesweeper was sunk as a target.

9 October

List of shipwrecks: 9 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Skreamin Deamon United States While under tow, the 27-foot (8.2 m) vessel sank without loss of life off Spruce Island in the Kodiak Archipelago near Monashka Bay on Kodiak Island.[34]

12 October

List of shipwrecks: 12 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Christos Bitas Greece The tanker ran aground off the coast of Dyfed, Wales.[53]

18 October

List of shipwrecks: 18 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
HMS Eagle  Royal Navy The aircraft carrier ran aground at Loch Ryan on her way to the breaker's yard. Later refloated and scrapped.[54]
USS Mackerel  United States Navy The T-1-class submarine was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.

20 October

List of shipwrecks: 20 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
USCGC Cuyahoga  United States Coast Guard
The wreck of Cuyahoga when she was refloated on 29 October 1978.
The cutter sank with the loss of 11 lives after colliding with the tanker Santa Cruz II ( Argentina) in the Chesapeake Bay. There were 18 survivors. She was refloated on 29 October 1978 and scuttled on 29 March 1979 to form an artificial reef.

23 October

List of shipwrecks: 23 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Key West United States The crab-fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) north of Amak Island in the Aleutian Islands after her lazarette flooded during a storm.[55]
Lorrinda G United States The fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea.[56]

30 October

List of shipwrecks: 30 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Kiowa United States The tug sank without loss of life in Herring Bay (57°07′N 134°22′W / 57.117°N 134.367°W / 57.117; -134.367 (Herring Bay)) on Frederick Sound in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska after logs she was towing broke loose in heavy weather and tore her stern open. Another tug rescued her crew.[55][57]
Nico Primo Italy The cargo ship sank in the Peloponnesus with the loss of eight of her nine crew.[58]

31 October

List of shipwrecks: 31 October 1978
ShipStateDescription
Christos Bitas Greece The tanker was scuttled 320 nautical miles (590 km) west of Fastnet Rock, United Kingdom.[59]

November

3 November

List of shipwrecks: 3 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Devil Sea United States The 44-foot (13.4 m) vessel was wrecked on Igitkin Island in the Aleutian Islands. Wearing survival suits, her crew of four reached shore and was rescued by the seagoing buoy tender USCGC Ironwood ( United States Coast Guard).[60]
Hawarden Bridge United Kingdom The coaster was scuttled as an artificial reef off Miami, Florida, United States.[61]

4 November

List of shipwrecks: 4 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Epic United States The 137-gross register ton, 72.7-foot (22.2 m) crab-fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska off the south end of Alaska′s Kodiak Island with the loss of four lives. There was one survivor.[62]

7 November

8 November

16 November

List of shipwrecks: 16 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Manureva France The sailboat disappeared along with her captain, Alain Colas, in the Atlantic Ocean near the Azores after Colas sent a final message on this date.

20 November

List of shipwrecks: 20 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Crow United States While carrying a cargo of construction materials to a cannery, the 117-foot (35.7 m) former landing craft sank 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) off of Wide Bay (57°22′N 156°11′W / 57.367°N 156.183°W / 57.367; -156.183 (Wide Bay)) on the south-central coast of Alaska. The United States Coast Guard rescued her crew of six from a life raft.[63]

23 November

List of shipwrecks: 23 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Iwala United States The yacht was seized by the Kampuchean Navy for drug smuggling. She reportedly was scuttled and her two crewmen were executed by being burned alive.[68]

30 November

List of shipwrecks: 30 November 1978
ShipStateDescription
Heidi Marie United States The fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Terror Bay (57°46′N 153°12′W / 57.767°N 153.200°W / 57.767; -153.200 (Terror Bay)) on the coast of Kodiak Island in Alaska′s Kodiak Archipelago.[47]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date November 1978
ShipStateDescription
HMS Undaunted  Royal Navy The decommissioned U and V-class destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean by an Exocet missile fired by the destroyer HMS Norfolk and a torpedo fired by the submarine HMS Swiftsure (both  Royal Navy).

December

Unknown date

References

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