A maritime disaster is an accident involving vessels at sea which causes significant damage, injury or loss of life. This list covers notable maritime disasters of the 21st century.
All ships are vulnerable to problems from weather conditions, faulty design or human error. Some of the disasters below occurred in periods of conflict, although their losses were unrelated to any military action. The table listings are in descending order of the magnitude of casualties suffered.
Spice Islander I, a passenger ferry carrying at least 800 people, sank off the coast of Zanzibar on 10 September. At least 200 people have been confirmed dead.
Mediterranean Sea migrant shipwreck of 18 April 2015 – A 25 m (82 ft) vessel, carrying migrants and refugees bound for Europe, foundered in Libyan waters south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. The vessel reportedly capsized after its occupants rushed to draw the attention of a passing merchant ship. Initial estimates put the death toll at 800. However, further examination after the vessel was raised led to a revised estimate of 1,050–1,100. Many drowned whilst locked below deck, while 28 survivors were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard and the Maltese Navy.
Eastern Star – On 1 June the river cruise ship capsized on an overnight voyage after being hit by a waterspout during severe weather while in the Damazhou waterway section of the Yangtze River.[5][6]
Senopati Nusantara – The ferry sank in a storm on 30 December. She was a scheduled passenger liner from Kumai in Central Kalimantan to Tanjung Emas port in Semarang, Central Java. About 22 nautical miles (40 km) off Mandalika island, she sank in a fierce storm in the Java Sea. At least 400–500 people are thought to have died; 224 were rescued.
Mediterranean Sea migrant shipwreck of 13 April 2015 – A vessel carrying migrants and refugees bound for Europe sank 24 hours after leaving the Libyan coast, possibly after the passengers capsized the boat trying to get the attention of an Italian rescue team. An estimated 400 people drowned, while at least 144 survivors were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard.
Mediterranean Sea migrant shipwreck of 3 October 2013 – An unnamed vessel carrying about 500 African migrants, primarily from Eritrea, Somalia, and Ghana, caught fire off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, when the passengers lit blankets on fire to signal their proximity to land. Of the passengers and crew, 155 were rescued, with 359 confirmed dead by 12 October.[7]
SIEV X – A boat carrying over 400 asylum seekers to Australia sank on 19 October. 353 people were lost. The Australian government was criticized for not doing anything to help the survivors for three days.
MV Nyerere, a ferry believed to be carrying over 400 passengers,[12]capsized in lake Victoria on September 20. 228 people died, while 41 were rescued.[13]
Mediterranean Sea migrant shipwreck of 27 March 2009 – An unnamed fishing vessel, carrying migrants and refugees bound for Europe and described as unseaworthy, capsized off the coast of Tripoli in poor weather. Italian and Libyan naval vessels rescued 21 survivors, while at least 200 people drowned.
Lighting Sun – On 23 May the double decker ferry capsized and sank on the Meghna river during a storm. Fifty people were rescued while 200 were reported killed in the accident. The Lighting Sun sank on the same day one kilometer away from the ferry Diganta.[16]
2009 Sierra Leone ferry accident – On 8 September, a wooden Teh Teh ferry travelling from Shenge village to Tombo sank during a storm. At least 90 people to date have been confirmed, over 100 others have been listed as missing and 39 survivors rescued.
Rabaul Queen – Overloaded ferry capsized on the morning of 2 February, due to rough conditions in the Solomon Sea. The final death toll is unknown because the exact number of passengers is unknown; estimates range from 88 to 223,[18][19] with the official Commission of Inquiry estimating the dead at 146 to 165.[20]
Al-Baraqua II – On 6 April the ferry capsized in the Gulf of Tadjoura off the coast of Djibouti City. The ferry was carrying passengers from the capital to a religious festival in Tadjoura when the accident occurred shortly after departure with 116 on board being killed.[25]
SuperFerry 14 – On 27 February an Islamist terrorist attack resulted in the sinking of the ferry and the deaths of 116 people. It is regarded as the world's deadliest terrorist attack at sea.[26][27]
Zico – On April 7, the vessel Zico, which had been converted from a fishing boat into a ferry, sunk in the Mozambique Channel due to overcrowding. At least 100 people died of the 130 aboard.
A migrant boat heading for Europe capsized off the coast of Mauritania due to strong winds and waves. Out of the 170 people believed to be on board, 89 have been declared dead, 72 are missing, and 9 have been rescued.[30]
HB la Saintet – On June 12, the ship HB la Saintet experienced engine failure and sank in the Kasai River, a tributary of the Congo River. 86 people of the 271 aboard were confirmed dead.
Adrianna – On June 14, a fishing boat smuggling migrants and refugees and estimated to be carrying 750 people sunk in the Ionian sea off the coast of Pylos, Messenia. The search and rescue effort by Greek authorities recovered 104 survivors and 82 bodies; it is estimated that 568 people are missing.
Coco-4 – On 27 November the overloaded passenger ferry partially capsized at port while passengers were disembarking. It is believed that the sudden shifting weight of the passengers caused the disaster.
Princess Ashika – The ferry was traveling from Nukuʻalofa, to Ha'afeva when it sent out a mayday call just before 2300 hours on 5 August, followed by a distress beacon five minutes after the mayday call. One survivor described a "big wave" and "much water", claiming that it had happened very quickly. When it sank, the ferry had only made five voyages in its new role.
361 – On 16 April the entire crew of 70 on the submarine were killed when the diesel engine failed to shut down while the boat was submerged and used up all the oxygen on board during a training exercise.
An unnamed ship carrying 72 people, mostly Ethiopian and Eritrean migrants, ran aground at Tripoli after drifting without fuel for 16 days. The ship had departed on 25 March in an attempt to reach Lampedusa, Italy. Last phone contact was on 26 March, and a French aircraft carrier within sight sent out reconnaissance flights overhead but did not aid the imperiled ship. Of the passengers and crew, 11 survived, with two more dying in the days following.
Kim Nirvana-B – On 2 July the overloaded passenger ferry, en route to Camotes Islands from Ormoc, Leyte, capsized after making a sharp turn, killing 62 of the estimated 206 people on board.[34][35][36]
Miraj-4 – On 15 May the launch, while headed for Shariatpur, capsized and sank after it was caught in a storm near Doulatdia during the evening. The ferry was reported to have more passengers than the 122 person rated capacity allowed at the time of the accident. Of the estimated 150–200 on board 56 were killed.[38]
Pati – On 1 January the cargo ship ran aground, broke in two, and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Antalya, Turkey. The ship was carrying many illegal immigrants, about fifty of whom were killed, as well as ten crew members, four of whom died. There were a total of thirty-two survivors.[39]
Malta migrant shipwreck – On 21 May, a small and crowded migrant boat was spotted some 80 nmi (150 km) south of Malta by the Maltese Air Force, and photographed while the 53 people on board were apparently trying to bail out water. Then the boat went missing. No trace of the boat or its occupants was found by the Maltese boats sent to their search and rescue, and there were no means by which they could have reached the shore during the time span in between.
Don Dexter Cathlyn – On 4 November the motor banca capsized and sank 30 minutes after it left Dimasalang, Masbate en route to Bulan, Sorsogon following the failure of an outrigger. Of those on board 42 were killed with 10 missing.[40]
Levina 1 – On 22 February the passenger ferry caught fire en route from Jakarta, to Bangka Island killing at least 51 people. Three days later, on February 25, it sank with a group of journalists and investigators on board, killing at least one more and leaving three missing.
Naywintun – On 17 November the ferry, travelling between Pathein and Thetkelthaung, sank after colliding with a barge. At least 50 people reported killed.[41]
2010 Christmas Island boat disaster – A boat carrying around 90 asylum seekers, mostly from Iraq and Iran, sank off the coast of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, killing 48 people aboard; 42 survivors were rescued. The boat was later named SIEV-221.
Bangladesh ferry accident – On 4 December on the Daira river located in Mithamain Upazila, Kishoreganj District. A passenger ferry collided head-on with a launch. At least 47 people were killed.
Jalakanyaka – On 30 September the double-decker passenger boat Jalakanyaka capsized and sank in Lake Thekkady, Periyar National Park, Kerala. A total of 82 people were on the boat and 45 died.
Maria Carmela – On 11 April the ferry caught fire while traveling from Masbate to Quezon. After burning for three days the ship sank off Pagbilao island in Quezon. Of those on board 44 were killed in the incident.[42]
Gianh River boat accident – On 25 January on the Gianh River near Quảng Hải Village, in the Quảng Trạch District of Quảng Bình Province.[43] A wooden boat sank 20 meters from the shore in strong currents during windy conditions. There were reportedly over 80 people on board, yet the boat was capable of carrying only 20.
Nazimuddin – On 13 May the double decker ferry carrying 150 passengers on board sank in the Ghorautura River, Ghoradigha, Kishoregani, 80 kilometres (43 nmi) from Dhaka, killing at least 41.[47]
Diganta – On 23 May the ferry sank on the Meghna river during a storm with the loss of 40 of the 46 on board. The Diganta sank on the same day one kilometer away from the ferry Lighting Sun.[16]
Lamma IV – On 1 October, the ferry collided with another passenger vessel off Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island. The day was the National Day of the People's Republic of China, and Lamma IV was headed for the commemorative firework display, scheduled to take place half an hour later. Many of the victims were the employees from Hongkong Electric Company and their relatives. It was the highest maritime death toll in Hong Kong since 1971.
On 23 January, a boat carrying 40 migrants capsized off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida. One survivor clinging to the boat was rescued, and one body was recovered by the Coast Guard. The remaining 38 passengers were never found.
MV Lestari Maju- At noon on 3 July, a modified 10-ton cargo ship that operated domestic passenger service was deliberately grounded off the Selayar Islands. The ferry had reportedly suffered a leak on the port side of the lower deck. As the ferry began to sink, the captain decided to ground the ferry to stop the sinking and ease the rescue effort.
On 2 September, Conception, a 75-foot diving boat, burned and sank while anchored off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California, trapping sleeping passengers in their bunk room. 34 were presumed dead when officials called off the search for survivors.[48]
Kiribati ferry accident – The sinking, on 13 July, of an inter-island ferry. The accident is believed to have killed 33 of the ship's 55 passengers and crew.
MV Lady Mary Joy 3 – A passenger ferry off Baluk-Baluk Island, Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan caught fire. The ship was towed and beached. 33 people died while around 200 passengers were rescued.[51]
Costa Concordia – The Italian cruise ship ran aground, capsized and sank in shallow waters on 13 January off the Isola del Giglio, killing 32 people (27 passengers and 5 crewmembers) out of 3,216 passengers and 1,013 crewmembers aboard.
Demas Victory – A Dubai-based supply ship capsized 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the coast of the Qatari capital, Doha in rough seas on 30 June, at 6:30am local time. Over 30 people were accounted as missing.[52]
Norman Atlantic – The Italian-owned Ro-PAX ferry, operated by the Greek company ANEK Lines, caught fire in the Adriatic Sea on 28 December. Out of 443 passengers, 56 crew and at least 6 stowaways, 25 passengers and at least three stowaways were lost at sea. Two crewmen of the Albanian tug Iliria were also killed on 30 December during the towing of the burning wreck.
Hableány – On 29 May, 27 people were confirmed dead with 1 other missing when a tourist boat was struck by a floating hotel near the Margaret Bridge in Budapest.
Amira-1 – On 9 January, the Tunisian cargo ship sent a distress signal about 100 kilometers from the Crimean coast. After a week of searching, the freighter was not found by Ukrainian, Turkish and Russian forces, and apart from a life jacket, life buoy and the lighthouse distress signal, no debris was found. The crew of 24 sailors was composed of 19 Tunisians, 3 Turkish and 2 Azerbaijanis. No bodies were found.[53][54]
HTMS Sukhothai – A corvette of the Royal Thai Navy was sunk after a storm in the Gulf of Thailand on 18 December, leaving 24 crew members dead and 5 others missing.
Kazu I - On 23 April, the tourist boat was operating off Hokkaido island. It went missing with 26 souls on board. Twenty people were confirmed dead, and six are still missing.[55]
20
2021
Liberia
Nico Ivanka - On 17 July a cargo ship sank off the coast of Liberia with a reported twenty eight people on board. Eleven passengers and crew were rescued by the Sea Shepherd ship the MY Age of Union while the remaining seventeen were never found.[56]
On January 18, an overloaded boat capsized in Harni Lake outside Vadodara, Gujarat. Fourteen people (12 students and two teachers) drowned while 15 others were rescued.[57]
Seacor Power – On April 13, a 265 Class liftboat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. 6 people were rescued from the water but 13 others were not found and are presumed to have drowned.[58]
Andrew J. Barberi – On 23 October, the Staten Island Ferry vessel impacted a concrete maintenance pier, tearing into the main deck where passengers were waiting to disembark. 11 passengers were killed, while 70 others were injured. The pilot was found to have lost consciousness after operating the ferry under impairment from painkillers.
Jascon 4 – The tug capsized while operation and sunk, 11 crew members were killed. The cook Harrison Odjegba Okene survived in an air bubble in the wreckage and was rescued, possibly the only case someone survived in a sunken ship [1].
Bourbon Rhode – The Luxembourg-registered tugboat capsized amid violent seas during Hurricane Lorenzo. Three of the 14 crew members were rescued alive while the bodies of four were recovered. The remaining seven are presumed dead.[59]
Villa de Pitanxo - On 15 February, the vessel capsized off the east coast of Canada, killing at least 10 people, with an additional 11 other people missing.
Destination – On 11 February, the BSAI crab vessel capsized and sank approximately 2.6 miles northwest of St. George Island off the Alaskan Coast, taking with her all six of her crew. The NTSB concluded that icing conditions and overloading of fishing gear compromised the vessel's stability.[60]
Bayesian (yacht) – On 19 August 2024, the superyacht capsized and sank during a storm when anchored off the coast of Sicily near the fishing village of Porticello. Seven people were killed, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter.
MV Dali – On 26 March, the cargo vessel departed the Port of Baltimore in the United States, bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka. It collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a structural failure.
Scandies Rose – The 130-foot BSAI crab vessel capsized and sank near Sutwik Island, Alaska on 31 December, while en route from Kodiak to Dutch Harbor. Two of the seven crew members on board were rescued and ultimately survived, the other five were never found.[63]
Emmy Rose – On 23 November, the 82-foot long fishing vessel, registered out of Portland, Maine, was lost in a storm at approximately 1:00 AM EST about 20 miles northeast of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The vessel was returning from a groundfish harvest with four experienced crew members aboard. No distress signal was sent, and the Coast Guard was only alerted when the vessel's emergency beacon was automatically activated. Debris and an empty life raft were both found by the Coast Guard, and a two-day search ensued, before being called off on November 25.[64][65]
Cheeki Rafiki – The UK-registered sailing vessel capsized in the north Atlantic Ocean after having lost its keel. All four crew members were never found.
Leonardo – On 24 November, the New Bedford-registered, 57-foot scallop fishing vessel capsized and sank approximately 24 miles southwest of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, after encountering rough weather and rogue waves. Of the four crew members aboard, only one was rescued after being found adrift in a life raft, and the Coast Guard suspended search efforts the following day.[66][67][68]
San Diego migrant vessel – On May 2, a 40-foot boat carrying 32 migrants from Mexico sank in stormy weather off the coast of San Diego. 29 of the migrants were saved by the United States Coast Guard, civilians, and other authorities.[69] 3 migrants drowned.[70]
Sea Diamond – The ship sank on 5 April, with 1,195 passengers on board, after running aground near the island of Santorini the previous day, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead.
Queen of the North – On 21 March, the RORO/Passenger Ferry failed to execute a planned course change and struck Gil Island while traveling through the Inside Passage from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, both in British Columbia. The collision ripped open her hull and tore out her propellers, leaving her adrift in Wright Sound where she sank between 12:25 and 12:43 am the following morning.
MV Dayang Topaz – On 27 October, the ship sank after colliding with the Baram B oil platform, 14 nautical miles off Miri, Sarawak after one of its anchor wires snapped during adverse storm. Out of 187 personnel on the ship, 2 personnel, both Malaysian, were found dead.[71]
HMNZS Manawanui - On the night of the 5th of October this specialist dive and hydrographic vessel for the New Zealand Navy was conducting a reef survey near the Cook Islands when it hit the reef and caught fire. All 75 people aboard were evacuated.
USS Cole – On 12 October, the guided missile destroyer was damaged after being struck by a boat packed with explosives while she was being refueled in Aden harbor.[72]Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, which was believed to have been aided by Sudan.
ROKS Cheonan – On 26 March the South Korean corvette sank off the country's west coast near Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, with international investigators blaming the disaster on a North Korean torpedo.[73]
MV Rubymar - On February 18, 2024, a British civilian cargo ship was struck by a Houthianti-ship missile. On March 2 the ship sank in the Red Sea after being abandoned for 13 days. The attack is regarded as the first time a Houthi attack has sunk a vessel, as most attacks have resulted in minor damage.[79]
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