List of shipwrecks in 1953

The list of shipwrecks in 1953 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1953.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

table of contents

← 1952 1953 1954 →
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date
References

January

1 January

List of shipwrecks: 1 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Attu Island	United States	Carrying a cargo of 5,000 tons of cement and damaged earlier in her voyage when she struck a reef off Pennock Island in Southeast Alaska while under tow by the tug Hercules ( United States), the 328-foot (100.0 m) LST-type barge capsized and sank bottom-up 0.5 nautical miles (0.9 km; 0.6 mi) south of Bar Harbor in Ketchikan, Territory of Alaska. An attempt during the 1970s to refloat her failed.[1]

6 January

List of shipwrecks: 6 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Kelvinbank	United Kingdom	The Liberty ship was driven ashore on Ocean Island, Gilbert Islands. She was later refloated but struck the wreck of Ooma ( Gilbert Islands) and was abandoned.[2][3][4]

8 January

List of shipwrecks: 8 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Avanti	Sweden	The cargo ship broke in two north east of Okinawa, Japan. 40 crew rescued by Eastern.[4] At least 8 deaths.
Klipfontein	Netherlands	Klipfontein. The cargo liner struck a submerged object 100 nautical miles (190 km) north of Lourenço Marques, Mozambique and sank. All passengers and crew rescued by Bloemfontein Castle ( United Kingdom).[5]
Maraat V	Netherlands	The cargo ship ran aground at Sea Palling, Norfolk, United Kingdom.[6] Refloated on 9 January after being aground for 28 hours.[7]

9 January

List of shipwrecks: 9 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Changgyeong-ho [ko]	South Korea	According to South Korea Coast Guard official confirmed report, the passenger ferry, while sailing from Yeosu Port and headed to Busan Port, capsized 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest from Dadaepo area, Busan, South Korea. 229 people died and only seven people survived.[8]
Jumper Hitch	United States	The cargo ship collided with another vessel off Japan. Reported to be in danger of sinking and requested assistance.[9]
RFA Wave Commander	Royal Navy	The Wave-class oiler ran aground off Cape Henry, Virginia, United States.[9]

11 January

List of shipwrecks: 11 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Campo Grande	Spain	The cargo ship ran aground off the Cork Lightship, off the coast of Essex, United Kingdom.[10]

15 January

List of shipwrecks: 15 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
American Leader	United States	The cargo ship collided with Chickasaw ( United States) in New York Harbor. American Leader was severely damaged at the bows.[11]
American Veteran	United States	The cargo ship was in collision with the ferry Gold Star Mother in New York Harbor. Both ships were damaged, with Gold Star Mother taking in water by the bows and having eleven of her 1,900 passengers injured.[11]
Esso Wilmington	United States	The tanker ran aground in New York Harbor.[11]

17 January

List of shipwrecks: 17 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
L F Mathies	West Germany	The cargo ship ran aground off Portishead, Somerset, United Kingdom. Later refloated and docked at Avonmouth.[12]

18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Santi	Spain	The cargo ship was in collision with British Dragoon ( United Kingdom) and sank off Cape Espichel, Portugal. Thirty-six survivors rescued by British Dragoon.

21 January

List of shipwrecks: 21 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Arklow	flag unknown	The coaster ran aground off Avonmouth. Refloated the next day.[13]
Palomares	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground off Avonmouth. Refloated the next day.[13]

23 January

List of shipwrecks: 23 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Kent County	Norway	The ore carrier ran aground at Bell Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.[14]

25 January

List of shipwrecks: 25 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Empress of Canada	United Kingdom	The ocean liner caught fire, capsized and sank at Liverpool, Lancashire. Refloated and scrapped in 1954.

30 January

List of shipwrecks: 30 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
Clan Macquarrie	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides.[15]

31 January

List of shipwrecks: 31 January 1953

Ship	State	Description
HMS Berkeley Castle	Royal Navy	The Castle-class corvette capsized in Sheerness Dockyard.[16]
Catharina Duyvis	Netherlands	The herring cutter sank in the North Sea during a severe windstorm. 16 fatalities.
Guava	United Kingdom	The Lowestoft motor trawler and her crew of eleven sank at roughly 53.50N 3.0E (100 nautical miles (185.2 km; 115.1 mi) east of the River Humber) in heavy gales during the night to 1 February.[17][18]
Michael Griffith	United Kingdom	The Castle-class trawler from Fleetwood, Lancashire, foundered in a severe storm off Barra Head, West Scotland, with the loss of all hands. 13 fatalities.[19][20]
Princess Victoria	United Kingdom	The RORO passenger ferry sank in the North Channel during a severe windstorm. 133 fatalities.
Salland	Netherlands	The coastal trading vessel sank in the North Sea near Egmond during a severe windstorm. Eight fatalities.
Westland	Netherlands	The coastal trading vessel sank in the North Sea near Cuxhaven during a severe windstorm. Ten fatalities.

February

1 February

List of shipwrecks: 1 February 1953

Ship	State	Description
HMS Sirdar	Royal Navy	The S-class submarine was swamped by floods while in drydock at Sheerness Dockyard and sank. She was later raised, repaired, and returned to service.

3 February

List of shipwrecks: 3 February 1953

Ship	State	Description
Westland	Netherlands	The ship foundered in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland with the loss of all seven crew.[21][22]

15 February

List of shipwrecks: 15 February 1953

Ship	State	Description
Stanley Force	United Kingdom	The coaster struck a submerged object and sank off Guernsey, Channel Islands.[23]

26 February

List of shipwrecks: 26 February 1953

Ship	State	Description
Huglen	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at Huglen, Norway.[24]

March

1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Baalbek	Norway	The cargo ship collided with the Great Nore Sands Fort, in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom. One of the seven towers of the fort collapsed and the ship ran aground. Four of the fourteen crew of the fort were reported missing.[25]

2 March

List of shipwrecks: 2 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Siorak	Denmark	The schooner struck a rock and sank off Avigait. All ten crew rescued.[26]

3 March

List of shipwrecks: 3 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Loomis	United States	The 15-gross register ton, 45.8-foot (14.0 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Jamestown Bay (57°02′40″N 135°17′30″W) in Southeast Alaska 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) south of Sitka, Territory of Alaska.[27]

4 March

List of shipwrecks: 4 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Northumbrian Coast	United Kingdom	The cargo ship collided with Egyptian Prince ( United Kingdom) and was beached on the Mucking Flats in the Thames Estuary.[28]
Rigel	Sweden	The cargo ship collided with Senegal ( Italy) 25 nautical miles (46 km) north of Margate, Kent, United Kingdom and sank. All 29 crew rescued by Arnhem ( United Kingdom).[28]

8 March

List of shipwrecks: 8 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Sollum	Royal Egyptian Navy	The Bangor-class minesweeper sank 12 nautical miles (22 km) off Alexandria with the loss of 53 of her 115 crew. The 63 survivors were rescued by Czech ( Poland).[29]

10 March

List of shipwrecks: 10 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Southern Wind	United Kingdom	The yacht struck rocks and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes, France. All three people aboard were rescued.[30]
Tahsis No. 3	Canada	The bulk oil carrier sank after striking a rock in Welcome Pass north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

11 March

List of shipwrecks: 11 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Settsu Maru	Japan	The whaling support ship sank in the Antarctic after being caught in pack ice, or due to an accident with her sea valve, or sea injection valves.[31][32][33]

17 March

List of shipwrecks: 17 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Lairds Ben	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground in the Clyde at Old Kilpatrick, Renfrewshire.[34]

20 March

List of shipwrecks: 20 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Milborne	United Kingdom	The coaster ran aground off Anglesey. Refloated but leaking, towed by Empire Punch ( United Kingdom) to Holyhead. Later repaired and returned to service.

28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
HDMS Lougen	Royal Danish Navy	The minelayer was damaged by an onboard explosion at Rønne. Three crew were killed, seven were severely injured.[35]

29 March

List of shipwrecks: 29 March 1953

Ship	State	Description
Mountcharles	United Kingdom	The cargo ship sank in the Bristol Channel. Crew rescued by RFA Black Ranger ( Royal Navy).[36]

April

1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Ciudad de Palma	Spain	The passenger ship ran aground at Cala Figuera, Mallorca. All 670 passengers and crew rescued.[37]

2 April

List of shipwrecks: 2 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Rolling Wave	United States	The 13-gross register ton, 36.2-foot (11.0 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at the Thomas Basin Float (55°20′20″N 131°38′30″W) near Ketchikan, Territory of Alaska.[38]

4 April

List of shipwrecks: 4 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
TCG Dumlupınar	Turkish Navy	The Balao-class submarine collided with Naboland ( Sweden) and sank in the Dardanelles with the loss of 81 of her 86 crew.

6 April

List of shipwrecks: 6 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Susan Vittery	Republic of Ireland	The schooner foundered in Dungarvan Bay. All crew survived.[39]

7 April

List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Sollum	Royal Egyptian Navy	The Matrouth-class minesweeper foundered in heavy weather off Alexandria, Egypt.

10 April

List of shipwrecks: 10 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Angela	Finland	The coaster ran aground on Coll, Inner Hebrides, United Kingdom. All 12 crew survived.[40]

13 April

List of shipwrecks: 13 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Taboga	Panama	The cargo ship foundered 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) west south west of Saint Mathieu Point, Ouessant, France.[41]

14 April

List of shipwrecks: 14 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
HMS Conway	United Kingdom	Conway after grounding The Mercantile Marine Service Association training ship, formerly a 90-gun Rodney-class ship of the line, ran aground in the Menai Strait and was subsequently declared a total loss. Her wreck was destroyed by a fire in 1956.

18 April

List of shipwrecks: 18 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Kronprins Frederick	Denmark	The ferry caught fire at Harwich, Essex, United Kingdom and was burnt out and sank. Refloated and towed to Elsinore, Denmark in September 1953 for repair.[42][43]

28 April

List of shipwrecks: 28 April 1953

Ship	State	Description
Alert III	United States	The 65-foot (20 m) tug sank in 50 feet (15 m) of water off the coast of Massachusetts in Buzzards Bay at 41°29′45″N 070°52′30″W, halfway between Pasque Island and the Smith Point radome.[44]

May

6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Duke of York	United Kingdom	The ferry collided with USNS Haiti Victory ( United States Navy) 40 nautical miles (74 km) east of Harwich, Essex and was cut in two. The bow section sank, three lives were lost of the 396 people on board. The stern section was towed to Harwich.[45] A new bow was built and Duke of York returned to service.

9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Supreme	United States	The 33.5-foot (10.2 m), 7-gross register ton, fishing vessel sank at the Thomas Basin Float at Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska.[46]

11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Henry Steinbrenner	United States	The 427-foot (130 m), 4,719-gross register ton bulk carrier sank in Lake Superior 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) south of Isle Royale Light with the loss of 17 of her 31 crew after her cargo hatch covers were lost during a storm.

17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
F.P.B. 1023	Royal Navy	The fast patrol boat caught fire and sank at Aarhus, Denmark. HMS Gay Archer ( Royal Navy) was damaged by the fire.[47]
Nasr	Royal Egyptian Navy	The Bangor-class minesweeper collided with the steamship Jaguar ( Sweden) in Suez Bay and sank with the loss of her captain. The rest of her 111 crew were rescued.[48]
Swan	United States	The 23-gross register ton, 44.6-foot (13.6 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire off Takanis Bay (57°55′N 136°31′W) on the southeast end of Yakobi Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[46]

19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Lady Wolmer	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground on Cheju Island, Korea and broke up. All crew rescued by USS Henrico ( United States Navy) and a Royal Navy ship.[49]

20 May

List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Jerry	United States	The 16-gross register ton, 52-foot (15.8 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in the harbor at Cordova, Territory of Alaska.[50]
Lady Wolmar	Hong Kong	The concrete ship was driven ashore on Cheju Island, South Korea (33°32′N 126°50′E). She was on a voyage from Pusan to India. She was a total loss.[51]

24 May

List of shipwrecks: 24 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Andaman	Sweden	The cargo ship collided with Fortune ( Panama) in the English Channel and sank in the South Goodwins. All crew rescued and landed at Dover, Kent.[52]
Ternefjell	Norway	The cargo ship collided with Dotterell ( United Kingdom) off Start Point, Devon and sank. All 26 crew rescued by Dotterell.[52]

26 May

List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Maggie	United States	The 12-gross register ton, 30.3-foot (9.2 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire near Anchor Point in Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska.[53]

June

4 June

List of shipwrecks: 4 June 1953

Ship	State	Description
Serapide	Italy	The cargo ship sank off Cape Palos, Spain. All 24 crew rescued by Legazpi ( Spanish Navy).[54]

7 June

List of shipwrecks: 7 June 1953

Ship	State	Description
Phoenix	United States	The tanker collided in the Delaware River with Pan Massachusetts ( United States) and sank at Delaware City, Delaware. Both ships caught fire and were total losses.[55][56]

16 June

List of shipwrecks: 16 June 1953

Ship	State	Description
Brand V	Norway	The cruise ship ran aground at Ålesund and was a total loss. All passengers and crew were rescued.[57]

11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1953

Ship	State	Description
Scotiadoc	Canada	The 424-foot (129 m), 4,432-gross register ton bulk carrier sank with the loss of one life in 850 feet (259 m) of water in Lake Superior off Trowbridge Island, near the Sleeping Giant on the Sibley Peninsula in Ontario, Canada, after colliding in heavy fog with the steamer Burlington ( Canada). There were 30 survivors.

26 June

List of shipwrecks: 26 June 1953

Ship	State	Description
Mary Pat	United States	The 10-gross register ton, 27.7-foot (8.4 m) motor vessel was destroyed by fire in Bristol Bay off the coast of the Territory of Alaska.[53]

July

2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Sangola	United Kingdom	The passenger ship ran aground in the Hooghly River at Budge Budge, India.[58]

7 July

List of shipwrecks: 7 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Cornhusker Mariner	United States	The cargo ship ran aground at Pusan, Korea and broke in two. The stern section was salvaged by USS Current ( United States Navy).[59][60]

14 July

List of shipwrecks: 14 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Jacob Luckenbach	United States	The cargo ship collided with Hawaiian Pilot ( United States) and sank 18 nautical miles (33 km) southwest of San Francisco, California.[61]

16 July

List of shipwrecks: 16 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Three unidentified landing ships	Republic of China Navy	Chinese Civil War: Second Battle of Dongshan Island: The landing ships were sunk in a harbor on the coast of Dongshan Island in China by mortar fire that detonated their cargoes of ammunition.[62]

20 July

List of shipwrecks: 20 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
A R 5	United States	The 8-gross register ton, 27.5-foot (8.4 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire near Red Bluff (58°04′N 157°29′W) on the Bristol Bay coast of the Territory of Alaska.[1]

23 July

List of shipwrecks: 23 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Pan Georgia	United States	The tanker exploded and was burnt out at Wilmington, Delaware. Consequently laid up, subsequently converted to dredger.[63]

26 July

List of shipwrecks: 26 July 1953

Ship	State	Description
Duero	Spain	Collided with Culrain ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Strait of Gibraltar (35°37′N 5°25′W). All 28 crew saved.[64][65]

August

between 31 July and 3 August

List of shipwrecks: 3 August 1953

Ship	State	Description
Monique	France	The 240 ton, Société des Isles, ferry left the Loyalty Islands on 31 July for Noumea. A search started on 3 August, but she was never found. She had 75 passengers and crew.[66] The former US Navy YF class lighter was launched on 4 October 1945 at Port Chalmers as Avon[67] and renamed Monique.[68] It was suggested she may have been overloaded.[69]

9 August

List of shipwrecks: 9 August 1953

Ship	State	Description
St Columba	United Kingdom	The ferry ran aground in Ettrick Bay, Kyles of Bute, Buteshire. Refloated the same day.[70]

11 August

List of shipwrecks: 11 August 1953

Ship	State	Description
Sacco No. 3	United States	The 28-gross register ton, 55.2-foot (16.8 m) scow was wrecked 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) southeast of Ocean Cape (59°32′30″N 39°51′30″W), Territory of Alaska.[46]

19 August

List of shipwrecks: 19 August 1953

Ship	State	Description
Else Basse	Denmark	Else Basse on fire. The cargo ship caught fire off Cape Anguille, Newfoundland, Canada and was abandoned. Her 24 crew and a passenger were rescued by Corner Brook ( United Kingdom.[71] She was subsequently repaired and returned to service as the Finnish Kaarina.[72]

31 August

List of shipwrecks: 31 August 1953

Ship	State	Description
Akademik Karpinsky	Soviet Union	The cargo ship foundered on a voyage between Kaliningrad and Amsterdam.

September

3 September

List of shipwrecks: 3 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Raeburn	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at the Monkstone Rock Lighthouse in the Bristol Channel.[73]

7 September

List of shipwrecks: 7 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Eugenia	Panama	Hurricane Carol: The cargo ship was driven ashore at Provincetown, Massachusetts. Crew taken off by breeches buoy.[74]
Lomela	United States	The 42-gross register ton, 51.6-foot (15.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in the Gulf of Alaska approximately 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) southeast of Kodiak, Territory of Alaska.[27]

8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Liberté	France	The ocean liner ran aground at Le Havre. Refloated that day.[75]

9 September

List of shipwrecks: 9 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Esmereldas	Ecuadorian Navy	The naval yacht ran aground in the Gunyas River and was declared a total loss.[76]

21 September

List of shipwrecks: 21 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Greenville	Liberia	The cargo ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of one crewmember. The 25 survivors were rescued by Île de France ( France).[77]
Libby, McNeill & Libby X No. 2	United States	The 34-gross register ton, 56-foot (17.1 m) scow sank at Yakutat, Territory of Alaska.[27]

23 September

List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
RFA Wave Ruler	Royal Navy	The Wave-class oiler ran aground off Swansea, Wales. Refloated on 5 October and returned to service.

27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Walrus	United States	The 21-gross register ton, 41-foot (12 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at Lincoln Rock in Clarence Strait in the Territory of Alaska.[78]

29 September

List of shipwrecks: 29 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
HMS Tyrian	Royal Navy	The S and T-class destroyer ran aground in the North Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) east south east of Cromer, Norfolk, England. Later refloated.[79]

30 September

List of shipwrecks: 30 September 1953

Ship	State	Description
USS Rockford	United States Navy	The decommissioned Tacoma-class frigate was sunk as a torpedo target.
Sortland	United States	The 7-gross register ton, 28.5-foot (8.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at Driftwood Bay (59°56′N 149°13′W) in Day Harbor on the coast of the Kenai Peninsula in the Territory of Alaska.[46]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date September 1953

Ship	State	Description
Celt	United States	The 43-gross register ton, 62.5-foot (19.1 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Cholmondeley Sound (55°17′N 132°04′W) in Southeast Alaska.[80]

October

7 October

List of shipwrecks: 7 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Fearless	United States	The 63-gross register ton, 64.9-foot (19.8 m) scow sank in Iliamna Bay on the southeast coast of the Territory of Alaska's Alaska Peninsula.[81]

9 October

List of shipwrecks: 9 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Jr.	United States	The 9-gross register ton motor vessel was destroyed by fire at 55°14′36″N 131°26′30″W, near Bold Island (55.2492°N 131.4169°W / 55.2492; -131.4169 (Bold Island)) in Southeast Alaska.[50]

12 October

List of shipwrecks: 12 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Beckenham	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground and broke in two in the Kara Sea, Soviet Union.[82] All crew rescued by Suvorov ( Soviet Union).[83]

13 October

List of shipwrecks: 13 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Tiderip	United States	The 15-gross register ton, 39.6-foot (12.1 m) fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska near Kodiak, Alaska.[84]

14 October

List of shipwrecks: 14 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Reliance No. 3	United States	The 10-gross register ton, 31.9-foot (9.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Lynn Canal off Naked Island (58°15′20″N 134°56′30″W) near Funter Bay in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[38]

21 October

List of shipwrecks: 21 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Bharatveer	India	The cargo ship was driven ashore 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north of Madras in a cyclone. A fire broke out two days later and she was subsequently declared a constructive total loss.[85]

22 October

List of shipwrecks: 22 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Eiho Maru	Japan	The tanker ran aground in the River Mersey, United Kingdom, three times within 24 hours.[86]

25 October

List of shipwrecks: 25 October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Sea Gram	United States	The 13-gross register ton 41.8-foot (12.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at Saltery Bay (57°47′N 134°57′W) in Tenakee Inlet in Southeast Alaska.[46]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date October 1953

Ship	State	Description
Hiawatha	United States	The 74-gross register ton, 66-foot (20.1 m) yacht sank at the entrance to Port Etches on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska.[50]

November

2 November

List of shipwrecks: 2 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Trygve	United States	The 15-gross register ton, 38.5-foot (11.7 m) fishing vessel was wrecked on the beach at Homer Spit on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula in the Territory of Alaska.[84]

4 November

List of shipwrecks: 4 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Andrew Z	United States	The 12-gross register ton, 36.5-foot (11.1 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in George Inlet on the south coast of Revillagigedo Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[1]
Tonghai	Sweden	The cargo ship collided with Esso Cardiff ( United Kingdom) off the coast of Spain. Tonghai was taken in tow by the tug Abeille 26 ( France) but sank on 6 November. All crew were rescued by Esso Cardiff.[87]

6 November

List of shipwrecks: 6 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Björkö	Sweden	The cargo ship collided with USAS Seawind ( United States Army) and sank off Cuxhaven, West Germany.[87] Seven of her eighteen crew were killed.[88]

7 November

List of shipwrecks: 7 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Meteor	United States	The 8-gross register ton, 28.4-foot (8.7 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire off Rocky Point (60°21′30″N 147°03′00″W) on Montague Island in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska.[53]

8 November

List of shipwrecks: 8 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Columbus	Netherlands	The coaster sank 50 nautical miles (93 km) north west of Texel. All eleven crew were rescued.[89]

9 November

List of shipwrecks: 9 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Wanita	United States	The 32-gross register ton, 44-foot (13 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire at the mouth of Red Bay on the north end of Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[78]

10 November

List of shipwrecks: 10 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Aurora	Netherlands	The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Cap de Fer, Algeria. She was being towed from Phillippeville, Algeria to an Italian port.[90]

16 November

List of shipwrecks: 16 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Vittoria Claudia	Italy	The cargo ship collided with Perou ( France) and sank in the English Channel 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) off Dungeness, Kent, with the loss of twenty of her 25 crew.[91]

24 November

List of shipwrecks: 24 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Vespa	United Kingdom	The tug was in collision with Malmo ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Woolwich. All five crew rescued.[92]

25 November

List of shipwrecks: 25 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Marsworth	United Kingdom	The cable layer collided with Milford ( United Kingdom) and sank off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.[93]

29 November

List of shipwrecks: 29 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Halesius	United Kingdom	The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) north of Lisbon, Portugal. She was on a voyage from Casablanca, Morocco to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands.[94]

30 November

List of shipwrecks: 30 November 1953

Ship	State	Description
Oliver Olson	United States	The cargo ship ran aground at Coquille, Oregon. She was only partially salvaged, the remaining wreck subsequently was incorporated into a jetty.

December

14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1953

Ship	State	Description
Dimitris	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground off Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.[95] All sixteen crew rescued. Dimitris was declared a total loss.[96]
Olympia	Greece	The ocean liner ran aground in Southampton Water, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Later refloated, repaired and returned to service.[97]

15 December

List of shipwrecks: 15 December 1953

Ship	State	Description
Brockley Combe	United Kingdom	The coaster ran aground at the Minquiers, Jersey, Channel Islands and broke in two. All crew rescued by the Jersey lifeboat.[98]

24 December

List of shipwrecks: 24 December 1953

Ship	State	Description
Alf Everard	United Kingdom	The Thames barge exited the Medway and collided with a coaster, she then hit a second vessel before being rammed amidships by City of Johannesburg ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Thames Estuary. All seven crew were rescued by the collier Alexander Kennedy ( United Kingdom) which was one of the two earlier vessels with which she collided.[99]
Gustaf Reuter	Sweden	The tanker exploded and sank at Gothenburg, killing one of the eleven crew on board at the time.[100]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: unknown date in December 1953

Ship	State	Description
Roda	West Germany	The cargo ship sank in the North Sea on or after 3 December. She was being towed from Stavanger, Norway to Hamburg for scrapping. She was refloated in 1956 and scrapped at Hamburg.[101]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1953

Ship	State	Description
Marti	Cuba	The schooner was wrecked in a hurricane.[102]
Pelican	Canada	The barge was scuttled.