List of shipwrecks in May 1939
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bengt Sture |  Sweden |
The cargo ship ran aground at Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, United Kingdom. She was later refloated undamaged.[1] |
4 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bardaland | Sweden |
The cargo ship ran aground off Danzig, Germany owing to failure of her steering gear.[2] She was refloated later that day.[3] |
| Malacca Maru |  Japan |
The cargo ship was driven ashore near Wood Island and broke in two.[4] |
5 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mayon |  United States |
The cargo ship ran aground south of the Apo Lighthouse, Negros Island, Philippines.[3] She was refloated on 22 May and sailed to Manila, Philippines for repairs.[5] |
6 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Seisho Maru | Japan |
The cargo ship ran aground in Tokyo Bay.[6] She was refloated undamaged later that day.[7] |
| Vathy of Samos |  Greece |
The cargo ship ran aground at Kalloni.[6] |
7 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kalipso |  Australia |
The coaster caught fire and sank in the Clarence River, New South Wales.[8] |
9 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alsia |  Denmark |
The cargo liner caught fire 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Barberyn Lighthouse, Ceylon. The crew and passengers abandoned ship and all passengers and most of the crew were taken on board Canton ( United Kingdom) with the remaining crew taken off by Grasshopper ( United Kingdom).[9] Alsia came ashore, still burning, at Uduwata Point, 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north of Galle, on 11 May.[7][10] The gutted ship broke her back and was a total loss.[11][12] |
| Arantzazu Mendi |  Spain |
The cargo ship ran aground at Kearney Point, County Down, United Kingdom.[9] She broke her back on 14 May,[13] and was consequently scrapped.[14] |
| Dorothy Luckenbach | United States |
The tanker ran aground in the Crocket Channel.[15] She was refloated undamaged on 11 May.[16] |
| Hochelaga |  Canada |
The cargo ship ran aground at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.[15] She was refloated the next day.[7] |
| Lindenbank | United Kingdom |
The cargo ship ran aground on Arena Island, Sulu Sea, Philippines. She was refloated the next day but then sank 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off the island. Her crew were rescued by USS Pope ( United States Navy).[17][18][19] |
| Malacca Maru | Japan |
The cargo ship ran aground on Wood Island whilst on a voyage from Singapore to Osaka and broke her back. She was declared a total loss.[9] |
| HMAS Tattoo |  Royal Australian Navy |
The S-class destroyer was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of New South Wales.[20] |
10 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Medée |  France |
The cargo ship ran aground at Ouistreham, Calvados.[15] |
| Villa Franca |  Portugal |
The cargo ship ran aground at Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure, France.[15] She was refloated the next day.[7] |
11 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pikepool | United Kingdom |
The cargo ship ran aground in the Uruguay River 6 nautical miles (11 km) downstream of Fray Bentos, Uruguay.[16] She was refloated on 18 May.[11] |
12 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Comol Rico | United States |
The tanker ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana. She was refloated the next day.[13] |
13 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Prestatyn Rose | United Kingdom |
The cargo ship ran aground at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. She was refloated later that day.[13] |
15 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fjeld |  Norway |
The cargo ship ran aground at Nantes, Loire-Inférieure, France. She was refloated later that day with severe damage.[21] |
| Signfred | Sweden |
The cargo ship ran aground at Kalmar.[21] She was refloated damaged on 17 May and sailed to Oscarshamn for repairs.[11] |
16 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Colne | United Kingdom |
The Thames barge collided with San Andres ( Norway) in the River Thames at Blackwall Point and was severely damaged. She was beached at Point Wharf, Greenwich.[22] |
17 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aden | United Kingdom |
The dredger capsized in the North Sea (55°38′N 1°20′W / 55.633°N 1.333°W) whilst under tow.[23] |
18 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin F. Packard | United States |
The full-rigged ship was scuttled off Long Island, New York.[24] |
19 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rosedene | United Kingdom |
The coaster ran aground at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme, France.[11] She was refloated undamaged the next day.[25] |
20 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aquarius | United States |
The cargo ship caught fire whilst laid up at New Orleans, Louisiana and was severely damaged.[25] |
| Gunny | Sweden |
The cargo ship ran aground at Gisslan and was severely damaged.[25] She was refloated on 22 May and sailed to Gefle.[5] |
| Silver Sword | United States |
The cargo ship ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana.[25] She was refloated the next day.[5] |
21 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Consul Hintz |  Germany |
The cargo ship ran aground on Someri, Finland.[25] She was refloated the next day.[5] Consul Hintz arrived on 28 May at Helsinki for drydocking.[26] |
| Eha |  Estonia |
The cargo ship ran aground on Märket, in the Baltic Sea and became waterlogged. Her crew abandoned ship.[25] |
| Saimaa |  Finland |
The cargo ship ran aground on Someri.[25] |
22 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dicky | United Kingdom |
The cargo ship collided in the River Thames at Rainham, Essex with Valparaiso ( Sweden) and was extensively damaged. She was beached to prevent her sinking.[5] Dicky was refloated on 24 May.[27] |
| Kankyo Maru | Japan |
Tsunchiko Maru ( Japan) collided with Kankyo Maru at Shimonoseki, damaging her severely. Tsunchiko Maru then collided with Zuiko Maru ( Japan). Kankyo Maru sank with the loss of sixteen crew.[5] |
23 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Souvenir | United States |
The fishing vessel foundered in Dixon Entrance, on the border between the Territory of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada, 30–35 nautical miles (56–65 km; 35–40 mi) south-southeast of Duke Island in the Alexander Archipelago, Territory of Alaska. The motor vessel Mary Ellen (Flag unknown) rescued both people on board.[28] |
| USS Squalus | United States Navy |
The Sargo-class submarine sank off the Isles of Shoals with the loss of 26 crew. She was refloated, repaired, and recommissioned as USS Sailfish ( United States Navy). |
26 May
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Huasco |  Chile |
The passenger ship capsized and sank in Talcahuano Bay.[29] |
