10 cases of ship wrecks. The largest shipwrecks in history

The top 10 lists only civilian events that occurred in Peaceful time or shipwrecks in neutral waters, during wars more terrible shipwrecks were recorded, for example, the sinking of the Armenia liner, which was transporting more than 9,000 refugees from Sevastopol.

1. Dona Paz Ferry, Philippines, December 20, 1987 (4,386 people)

The worst disaster at sea, killing more than 4,000 people, this terrible shipwreck occurred on December 20, 1987, when the Philippine ferry Dona Paz collided with the oil tanker Vector in the Tablas Strait, 180 kilometers south of Manila.The ferry was completely filled with passengers eager to reach their destination before the Christmas holidays began.Although the sea was calm and visibility was perfect, the lack of competence of the crew on both ships led to this disaster.As soon as the ships collided, 8,800 barrels of oil and gasoline from the tanker ignited and almost no one survived this terrible fire.

2. Steamship Kiyangiya, China, December 3, 1948 (3,335 people)

Chinese passenger ship Kiyangiya was shipwrecked on December 3, 1948 while sailing from Shanghai to Ningbo. The ship was transporting refugees from China; officially 2,000 people were registered on it, but as it turned out later, the number of passengers was approximately 2 times more than stated. During the transition, he ran into a Japanese mine and began to quickly sink, about3,335 people died in the shipwreck and only about 700 were able to escape.

3. Ferry Le Joola, Senegal, September 26, 2002 (1,863 people)

One of the most terrible disasters at sea in the history of the world. The ferry was carrying more than 2,000 passengers from the port of Senegal when it capsized in 5 minutes 35 kilometers off the coast of Gambia on September 26, 2002. The reason for the death of the ferry was overload, while it was possible to take on board no more than 550 passengers, the ferry took on board more than 2,000 people.

4. Steamship Hoi Chu, China, November 8, 1945 (1,800 people)

The mass loss of 1,800 people occurred when the Chinese steamer Hoi Chu, en route to Hong Kong from Canton and carrying about 2,000 military personnel, 100 civilians and crew, sank in the Bocca Tigris at the mouth of the Canton River. The cause of death was a mine left after the war; only 300 people survived the disaster.

5. Steamship Sultan, USA, April 27, 1865 (1,600 people)

The explosion of the Sultan, which killed nearly 1,600 passengers, was perhaps the worst maritime disaster in the history of the United States.The Sultan was transporting about 2,300 prisoners of war down the Mississippi River from Vicksburg, as well as a few civilian passengers and crew.Just a couple of hours after midnight on April 27, 1865, one of the Sultan's three boilers exploded, after which the ship quickly sank.

6. Titanic, UK/USA, April 15, 1912 (1,514 people)

The 20th century tragedy involving the superliner Titanic has inspired writers and directors for decades, and dozens of books and films have been written and filmed about the disaster. One of the largest and most luxury liners of its time, it set off on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York, USA, on April 10, 1912. Many believed that the Titanic, built using the most advanced technologies of its time, was unsinkable. However, nothing is guaranteed on the high seas and on April 14 the ship collided with an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland. As a result of the collision, its hull was damaged and the liner sank, killing 1,514 people in this disaster.

7. Steamship Taiping, China, January 27, 1949 (1,500 people)

Nearly 1,500 passengers, mostly Chinese expatriates bound for Taiwan, set sail from Shanghai aboard the SS Taiping in search of better life. They all died on the fateful day of January 27, 1949, when the ferry was rammed by another Chinese ship.

8. Ferry Toya Maru, Japan, September 26, 1954 (1,153 people)

The most severe Typhoon, called No. 15 in Japan, without any name just a number, killed almost 1,153 passengers aboard the commercial ferry Toya Maru on September 26, 1954. The event is presented as the worst civilian shipwreck in Japanese history. The ferry operated between Hakodate on the island of Hokkaido and Aomori on the island of Honshu. The previously scheduled ferry departure was canceled in anticipation of the typhoon's approach. However, the captain decided to sail in the evening, believing that the worst part of the storm had already passed. It was a serious mistake; after leaving the harbor, the crew lost control of the ship and it sank off the coast of Japan. 1,153 passengers and crew members disappeared into the depths of the ocean.

9. General Slocum, 1,021 killed

June 15, 1904, marked as a dark day in the history of New York, was the day when the largest shipwreck occurred in the city's waters. The General Slocum, a passenger steamer that carried people on a tour of New York City, carried 1,342 passengers, mostly members of the community Lutheran Church, to a church picnic in Locust Grove, Long Island. The passengers were mostly Germans from the little Germany area of Manhattan, including a large group of women and children.

The cause of the ship's death was the disgusting preparation of the crew and captain of the ship; when leaving the port, after 20 minutes old furniture began to smolder in one of the ship's rooms, the fire was noticed in time, the crew quickly rolled out a fire hose, but when the water was turned on, the hose broke in several places, due to which it was not possible to extinguish the fire, which resulted in the sinking of the ship. It took the fire only half an hour to destroy the steamer.

10. Salam-98, 1,101 people died

On February 3, 2006, Salam 98, a ship carrying more than 1,300 passengers and an additional 103 crew members, sank in the waters of the Red Sea, killing 1,101 people. Ship from Saudi Arabia, the port of Duba went to Egypt, the port of Safaga. Most of the passengers were Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia and returning home from work.

The captain of the ferry, Syed Omar, is responsible for what happened, because when upper deck A fire broke out, the ferry was near the shore, but the captain decided to go to the Egyptian port anyway; his actions led to the death of more than 1,100 people.

Such as a fire, water ingress, deterioration of visibility or the situation in general. Well-coordinated crews, guided by experienced captains, cope with problems quickly. Otherwise, marine disasters occur, which take human lives with them and leave their black mark on history.

There are quite a lot of similar disasters and tragedies. However, some of them deserve special attention.

Torpedoing of the mysterious motor ship "Armenia"

The most major disasters Marine incidents happened in the 20th century, mainly during the war years. The most large-scale tragedy of all is the loss of the motor ship "Armenia". The ship was used to transport wounded from the Crimea during the offensive German soldiers. After thousands of wounded were loaded on board the ship in Sevastopol, the ship arrived in Yalta. It was believed that this city was doomed, so the NKVD officers placed several heavy boxes on the ship. There were rumors that they contained gold. This attracted many adventurers subsequently.

On November 7, 1941, the Heinkel He-111 torpedo bomber attacked the ship, after which the ship quickly sank. It is still unknown how many people it carried. Only a rough estimate of the number of victims is given (7-10 thousand people).

It should also be noted that the ship has not yet been found. Since it sailed from the shores of Yalta at a time when the Germans had already entered the city, the captain of the ship did not inform anyone about his further route. Therefore, it is unknown exactly which route “Armenia” moved.

Tragedy on the Baltic Sea

In the Baltic Sea, scuba divers and divers come across sunken ships quite often. But the sinking of the Cap Arcona liner and the Tilbek cargo ship was a tragedy that claimed almost 8,000 lives. It is considered one of the largest maritime disasters.

Both ships were attacked. They were transporting prisoners from concentration camps. Also on board were SS soldiers and a German crew. The latter, by the way, managed to escape. All the rest, mainly those who were dressed in striped uniforms, were shot by German ships.

Thus, British aviation allowed a large-scale disaster that brought absolutely no benefit to the war. In their defense, the British Air Force stated that the bombing occurred by accident, by mistake.

The legendary Titanic

Anyone who studies sunken ships or has heard something about them will invariably associate the story with the Titanic. However, there is nothing mysterious or unique about it. The ship's captain was informed of the threat of icebergs, but decided to ignore the information. Soon he received a message that there was a huge block of ice ahead. There was no time left to change course. Therefore, the captain decided to expose his right side to the attack.

While still in port, the ship received the nickname “unsinkable.” I must say that he corresponded to him a little. Despite the extensive damage received, the ship remained afloat for a long time. During this period, the nearest ship "Carpathia" managed to come to the rescue. That is why more than 700 passengers were saved. There were about 1000 dead.

Thus, if we consider the most “promoted” maritime disasters of the 20th century, the death of the Titanic will be in first place. This is not due to the number of casualties and touching stories of rescue, but to the fact that the nobility traveled on the ship.

Liner "Lusitania"

In 1915, maritime disasters were added to the list with the sinking of a British passenger liner. On May 7, the Lusitania was attacked by a German submarine. The torpedo hit the starboard side, causing a series of explosions. As a result, the ship sank in a matter of moments.

The disaster occurred near Kinsale (Ireland), 13 kilometers away. Probably, such proximity to the mainland allowed a sufficient number of people to escape.

The complete collapse of the airliner occurred in 18 minutes. There were about 2,000 people on board, more than 700 of whom managed to escape. 1,198 passengers and crew members sank along with the wreckage of the former large liner.

By the way, it was with this tragedy that the Anglo-German confrontation on the waters began. Both countries are trying to cause damage, sometimes even “accidentally,” to each other’s maritime fleet.

Nuclear-powered icebreaker "Kursk"

The most recent disaster in the memories of Russians is the death of the Kursk. This tragedy brought misfortune and grief to many families who did not expect to be separated from their loved ones forever. After all, the nuclear-powered icebreaker was only making a training swim.

Sunken submarines have always aroused interest. On August 12, 2000, Kursk was added to their list. On this moment There are 2 reasons for what happened. In the first case, it is believed that a shell exploded in the torpedo compartment. However, no one can say why this happened. In the second case, an attack from the side, more specifically, by the Memphis submarine. As for hiding real reason the death of the Kursk, the government decided to avoid international conflict. One way or another, at the moment there is no exact information as to why the nuclear-powered icebreaker sank.

The tragedy killed 118 people. It turned out to be impossible to help the dying people at the bottom of the Barents Sea. Therefore, no one managed to survive.

The most paradoxical death

The largest maritime disasters are distinguished not only by the large-scale loss of life, but also by their uniqueness. Many of them happen under conditions that at first glance seem completely impossible. A paradoxical disaster is the sinking of the Dona Paz ferry and an oil tanker that occurred at the end of 1987.

The fact is that the captain of the ferry was sitting in his cabin and watching TV, while the ship was controlled by an inexperienced sailor. An oil tanker was sailing towards him, with which a collision occurred a few minutes later. As a result, almost all the passengers were burned alive as a global fire began. It was impossible to escape from the resulting fire trap. More than 80 tons of oil spilled into the sea, after which it immediately ignited. Who would have thought that on water you could die from fire?

Both ships were completely submerged in less than half an hour. There were no survivors; the disaster took 4,375 people.

Conclusion

All marine disasters are tragedies that plunge people into grief and cut short the destinies of people. Physical damage is caused to the fleet, especially if a warship is lost. But there is also moral damage, because no one wants to lose colleagues and brothers in their specialty.

But any one is also a kind of experiment, only unplanned. After the incident, the fleet needs to analyze the situation from all sides, identify the circumstances and causes. Next, measures must be developed to help eliminate the possibility of a recurrence of a specific disaster.

For thousands of years, ships have sunk during war, natural disasters, and in some cases even due to human error. The ten largest and most famous shipwrecks that have ever occurred have been revealed.

The Titanic sailed from Southampton to New York, where it hit an iceberg and sank after 2 hours and 40 minutes. Its hull, divided into two parts, lies on the seabed at a depth of more than 3,700 meters.

Sultana

Almost forgotten, but one of the deadliest disasters. More than 1,800 people died during the sinking of this ship. It was the greatest maritime disaster in all of history. American history. The explosion of four boilers turned the ship into a huge fireball, consuming everyone and everything. The explosion killed 80% of everyone on board. The disaster took a back seat in the press due to the fact that President Lincoln was assassinated just the day before. . The ship was designed for only 85 passengers, but there were approximately 2,400 people on board. Its wreckage lies near Memphis, Tennessee.

L.R. Doty

This ship was launched in 1894 in Michigan, in western Bay City. It was caught in a terrible storm, which caused its sinking, killing all 17 crew members on board. The wreck site was found 111 years after the sinking of the ship. It is located at a depth of 92 meters in Lake Michigan; the cargo of corn is still intact. Due to the murky water, this place is considered one of the most dangerous dive sites.

Oriskany

Nicknamed the Mighty O, the ship was one of 24 huge Essex-class ships ordered by the US Navy. The ship has seen many battles in many places, ranging from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to the Vietnam War. . The ship was converted into an artificial reef in 2004 and has become a very successful home for millions of fish. Today it is considered one of best places for diving in the world.

Jula

The sinking of this ship is considered the second worst maritime disaster not related to the war. The disaster claimed at least 1,863 lives. The ship was designed to carry 500 passengers, but at the time of the accident it was carrying more than 2,000 passengers. The ship capsized after being caught in a storm. It sank in just five minutes. Rescue teams arrived only the morning after the incident; a huge number of victims died in the water awaiting rescue. The ship is still considered missing.

Vida Galli

This ship has a very interesting story. It was primarily used for the slave trade, but then in late February 1717, a pirate named "Black Sam" Bellamy seized the ship and claimed it as his own. During the year he owned the ship, he used the Vida Galli to capture and plunder more than 50 ships. The ship was caught in a strong storm, as a result of which its main mast collapsed and it capsized, dragging all the pirates under the water. The ship was discovered more than 250 years after it disappeared along with its loot. It was at a depth of only 5 meters. It was the first real pirate ship ever discovered.

Rona

This is quite possibly the most beautiful shipwreck in the world. British packet boat wrecked off the coast of Salt Island, British Virgin Islands, October 26, 1867. The ship went straight into a hurricane, which damaged it and caused the death of 123 people. Now this is a place for diving, and, I must say, absolutely stunning in beauty. Wildlife has taken the ship into its possession, and now it is covered with corals, eels live in it, different types fish and even sharks.

Costa Concordia

The most last crash cruise ship. Although the ship only partially sank, the disaster cost the lives of 34 passengers. The crash was widely reported in the press. Captain Schettino tried to make a spectacular maneuver into the port. To do this, he turned off the ship's navigation system, which reported how close the ship was to the rock shoal. The ship hit big Stone, and water began to fill the ship, causing it to capsize. The "Costa Concordia" is still located in the area of Giglia Island, Tuscany, and has become a popular tourist attraction; Plans are now being developed to lift and tow it.

Mont Blanc

The Mont Blanc became known as the ship that caused the Halifax explosion. The ship was heading to France from New York and was carrying a huge amount of ammunition and explosives. The ship was not too old, but was very slow due to the weight of the cargo it was carrying. It called at Halifax, Nova Scotia, to rendezvous with a convoy bound for France. While entering the port, the ship crashed into another ship, the Imo. The collision caused a fire and the explosives on board ignited. The force of the explosion was 2.9 kilotons, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history. More than 2,000 people were killed and 9,000 wounded.

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes is very popular among divers because wildlife and landscapes that emerged from the shipwreck. The ship lies in a large harbor and can be seen at water level. The ship was damaged near Cove Island in August 1885. Luckily, he was brought back to port by the small tug Jessie. The schooner was seriously damaged and could not be repaired, so it sank in the port itself. Fortunately, a huge load of coal was lifted from the side of the sunken ship.

Sea vessels have always been the subject of universal admiration, but often the world was shocked by their sudden death. The largest shipwrecks - how did they happen and how many human lives were lost?

It is worth noting that ships sank for various reasons. Mainly due to the following indicators:

"human factor";
malfunction of the ship's mechanisms;
strong storms.

Great shipwrecks are, and therefore everyone should know about them.

The most famous shipwrecks: the sinking of the Titanic

The story associated with the Titanic became famous among a wide range of the public after the release of the film of the same name. It is noteworthy that the plot of the film was based on real events. It is not known whether the love story discussed in the film was true, but the fact that the ship sank, taking with it a huge number of human lives, is the pure truth.

The Titanic was launched in 1911, on May 31st. At that time, the ship was considered the most large airliner in history, and therefore his first voyage took place in an atmosphere of celebration.

Unfortunately, the Titanic went on open voyage only once. The voyage he was on had been taken by other ships thousands of times before, but in 1912 the ship unexpectedly sank.

The bulky airliner did not survive the collision with the iceberg on April 14. No one could pinpoint the exact reason: either it was an oversight by the workers, or a lack of equipment. One way or another, it took very little time to be completely immersed in water - 160 minutes. This was a shock to the designers, since they had great hopes for the ship, and the size of the liner itself delighted everyone.

There were more than two thousand people on the ship, of whom only 711 survived. The lucky ones told many amazing stories about what they experienced at the moment when they were told about the shipwreck. Unfortunately, there was a catastrophic lack of rescue equipment, which caused mass deaths of passengers.

The story of the Titanic became a sensation, but the most famous shipwrecks It doesn’t end there, since many similar events have happened in just 100 years.

The worst shipwrecks of the twentieth century

There are other cases in the history of navigation that are striking in their enormity. A grandiose movie was not made about their death, like about the Titanic, but their sinking was just as unexpected for the model developers and the families of the victims.

Remained forever at the bottom of the oceans and seas:

"Yamato";
"Salzburg";
"Bismarck";
"Cap Arcona";
"Junio Maaru."

Great Shipwrecks of History

And several more ships that are well known in world history. One of them is passenger airliner"Wilhelm Gustloff", which departed only fifty flights.

What is surprising is the cost of tickets. Allow yourself to travel on " Wilhelm Gustloff“even representatives of the poor working class could.

This liner belonged travel company Third Reich. Since the liner was first launched in 1937, it has survived a lot. It saw World War II, during which the Wilhelm Gustloff served as a hospital and later took part in naval battles. On January 30, 1945, this liner was sunk by a Soviet Union torpedo.

Historians believe that there were about 9,000 people on board the liner at the time of the crash, although the official death toll was 5,000.

But the worst shipwrecks did not end with the Wilhelm Gustloff. Second World War took another great ship - “ Armenia».

"Armenia" was a passenger and cargo ship that was created in 1928 in the Soviet Union. This ship really had large dimensions and potential. Historians find it difficult to answer how many voyages the ship made, but they know exactly when it sank.

This happened in 1941 near Crimea. "Armenia" was sunk by German aircraft.

Amazing and scary at the same time is the fact that the ship sank under water in just 4 minutes, taking with it 5,000 human lives.

Only eight passengers survived.

Finally

Historical experience has made us realize how important it is to comply with safety conditions when drawing up a plan for the construction and launching of a ship. Nowadays, sea vessels are equipped with a huge number of life-saving devices, which, even in cases of disaster, enable people to survive. Let's hope that necessary measures accepted, and not a single modern ship will be included in the historical record under the name “shipwreck”.