List of shipwrecks in 1997

The list of shipwrecks in 1997 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1997.

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

← 1996 1997 1998 →
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date
References

January

1 January

List of shipwrecks: 1 January 1997

Ship	State	Description
Debra D	United States	With no one aboard, the 182-gross ton, 101.6-foot (31.0 m) fishing vessel caught fire while moored at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fire destroyed her bridge and accommodation spaces, and she was declared a constructive total loss. She later was completely rebuilt and placed back in service.[1]

18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1997

Ship	State	Description
Pacific Alliance	United States	The crab-fishing vessel sank in bad weather with the loss of four lives off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.[2]

21 January

List of shipwrecks: 21 January 1997

Ship	State	Description
Sandra W	United States	The 49-foot (14.9 m) fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) east of Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. The fishing vessel Green Hope ( United States) rescued her entire crew of three from a life raft.[3]

25 January

List of shipwrecks: 25 January 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS Tolman	United States Navy	The decommissioned fast minelayer, formerly a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer, was sunk as a target.

30 January

List of shipwrecks: 30 January 1997

Ship	State	Description
Rosie G	United States	The 80-foot (24.4 m) crab-fishing vessel sank due to a leaking crab tank in the Bering Sea approximately 14 nautical miles (26 km) northwest of Unalaska on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. The fishing vessel Handler ( United States) rescued her entire crew of six from a life raft.[4]

February

12 February

List of shipwrecks: 12 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
Jessie C	United States	The retired 65-foot (19.8 m) crew boat was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Holgate, New Jersey, at 39°28.501′N 074°11.631′W.[5]

13 February

List of shipwrecks: 13 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
Tokio Express	Germany	The container ship, on a voyage from Rotterdam bound for New York, was hit by a rogue wave about 20 miles (32 km) off Land's End, Cornwall. The ship righted herself and survived but lost 62 shipping containers overboard, one releasing just under 5 million Lego pieces.[6]

18 February

List of shipwrecks: 18 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
Magic Minnow	United States	The 32-foot (9.8 m) crab-fishing vessel was destroyed by an engine room explosion and fire in Gastineau Channel in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska.[7]

19 February

List of shipwrecks: 19 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
Lisa Jo	United States	The 82-foot (25.0 m) fishing vessel ran aground, capsized, and sank without loss of life in Akun Bay (54°15′N 165°30′W) on the coast of Akun Island in the Aleutian Islands after her operator – who was the only person on board – fell asleep at her wheel.[8]

27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS Picking	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target .

28 February

List of shipwrecks: 28 February 1997

Ship	State	Description
Jennie D	United States	The 35-foot (10.7 m) herring-fishing vessel ran aground and sank at Cape Paramanof (58°18′20″N 153°03′30″W) on the coast of Afognak Island in Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago after her engine failed. Her crew of two abandoned ship in a skiff and were rescued by the cutter USCGC Roanoke Island ( United States Coast Guard).[9]

March

1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Novic	United States	The 37-foot (11.3 m) longline cod-fishing vessel sank at English Bay, Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[10]

5 March

List of shipwrecks: 5 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Vikartindur	Germany	The container ship was beached on the south coast of Iceland. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped in situ.

23 March

List of shipwrecks: 23 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Coral	United States	The 43-foot (13.1 m) longline fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[11]

26 March

List of shipwrecks: 26 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Cita	Antigua and Barbuda	Cita The cargo ship ran aground at Newfoundland Point, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. She subsequently sank. All seven crew were rescued.

28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Kateri i Radës	Albania	Tragedy of Otranto: The motorboat was hit by Sibilia ( Italian Navy) in the Strait of Otranto. She capsized and sank with the loss of 83 lives

30 March

List of shipwrecks: 30 March 1997

Ship	State	Description
Eight LTTE boats	Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam	Sri Lankan Civil War: Action off Mullaitivu: One Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) explosive motorboat was shelled and blown up by SLNS Parakramabahu ( Sri Lanka Navy). Seven other LTTE explosive motorboats and/or assault boats were sunk by other Sri Lanka Navy warships 20 miles (32 km) east of Mullaitivu.[12]

April

16 April

List of shipwrecks: 16 April 1997

Ship	State	Description
Sea Mint	United States	The 54-foot (16 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. No one was aboard her at the time.[3]

30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1997

Ship	State	Description
La Fidèle	French Navy	The La Prudente-class netlayer exploded and sank in the English Channel off Cherbourg, Seine-Maritime, France, with the loss of five of her sixteen crew.[13]

May

4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1997

Ship	State	Description
King Cruiser	Thailand	The ferry ran aground on the Anemone Reef, Andaman Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the Phi Phi Islands. All on board, in excess of 560 people, were rescued.

9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1997

Ship	State	Description
Beluga	United States	The 17-foot (5.2 m) pleasure craft was stranded on boulders on the coast of Cheval Island (59°46′N 149°31′W) in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of Alaska. The four people aboard abandoned her and were rescued by a United States Coast Guard helicopter.[14]

12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS Richard S. Edwards	United States Navy	The decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was sunk as a target in Pacific Ocean off Kauai, Hawaii.

16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1997

Ship	State	Description
Trident	United States	The 26-foot (7.9 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. The only person on board survived.[15]

29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1997

Ship	State	Description
Columbia	United States	The 75-foot (22.9 m) fish tender was destroyed by an engine room fire off the Barren Islands off the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[11]

June

11 June

List of shipwrecks: 11 June 1997

Ship	State	Description
Rothenbach I	United States	The retired 165-foot (50.3 m) barge – previously the United States Navy non-self-propelled fuel oil barge YON-97 – was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean off Cape May, New Jersey, at 38°53.368′N 074°39.800′W.[16]

12 June

List of shipwrecks: 12 June 1997

Ship	State	Description
Libra	United States	The retired 195-foot (59.4 m) gravel barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) off Ocean City, New Jersey, at 39°10.801′N 074°32.741′W.[17]

23 June

List of shipwrecks: 23 June 1997

Ship	State	Description
Mark Christopher	United States	The 49-foot (14.9 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Southeast Alaska 20 nautical miles (37 km) west of Sitka, Alaska. Her entire crew of five survived.[7]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date June 1997

Ship	State	Description
Kathy & Maria	United States	The retired 64-foot (19.5 m) barge was cut in half and the two halves were scuttled separately as artificial reefs in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) off Ocean City, New Jersey, on 22 and 23 June 1997. One half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Kathy," was scuttled at 39°10.719′N 074°33.259′W. The other half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Maria," was scuttled at 39°10.814′N 074°33.044′W.[18]

July

2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1997

Ship	State	Description
Diamond Grace	Panama	The supertanker ran aground in Tokyo Bay 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Yokohama, Japan.[19]

4 July

List of shipwrecks: 4 July 1997

Ship	State	Description
Maurelle	United States	The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller suffered an explosion which ignited a fire that destroyed her off Southeast Alaska approximately 20 nautical miles (37 km) northwest of Cape Spencer. Her crew of three survived.[7]

20 July

List of shipwrecks: 20 July 1997

Ship	State	Description
Miss Mari	United States	The 28-foot (8.5 m) longline fishing vessel sank southwest of Elrington Island (60°00′N 148°03′W) in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The fishing vessel Coho II ( United States) rescued the only person on board.[7]
Pasqualle	United States	The 32-foot (9.8 m) fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska west of Cape Fairweather (58°48′30″N 137°56′45″W) on the coast of Southeast Alaska after gear shifted and caused her to flood. The only person aboard survived.[2]

22 July

List of shipwrecks: 22 July 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS Stoddard	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk in the Pacific Ocean 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) north-northwest of Kauai, Hawaii at 22°47′39.2″N 160°36′41″W by explosive charges planted by SEAL Team One.

26 July

List of shipwrecks: 26 July 1997

Ship	State	Description
Quin Delta	United States	The 90-foot (27.4 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Bristol Bay off the coast of Alaska. Her crew of three abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by other fishing vessels.[20]

August

2 August

List of shipwrecks: 2 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS Southerland	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a missile target in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 34°57′N 122°08′W.

7 August

List of shipwrecks: 7 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
ST-18	United States	Secured to the sunken wreck of the tug Rockland County by a heavy hawser, the retired 242-foot (73.8 m) tanker barge was scuttled with demolition charges as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, in 70 feet (21 m) of water at 40°07.930′N 073°55.942′W. Her wreck is nicknamed "the Fisherman barge."[21]

13 August

List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
Blue Fiord	United States	The 38-foot (11.6 m) salmon seiner sank off Evans Island in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska due to flooding caused by the failure of a circulation pump. Her crew of four survived.[14]
Gail S	United States	The 80-foot (24.4 m) tug capsized and sank with the loss of one life in Bristol Bay approximately 130 miles (210 km) north of Cold Bay, Alaska, while towing a 240-foot (73.2 m) barge. Four crew members survived. The barge remained tethered to the sunken Gail S and was salvaged.[22]

14 August

List of shipwrecks: 14 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
Blue Ox	United States	The 32-foot (9.8 m) longline fishing vessel sank 60 nautical miles (110 km) southwest of Homer, Alaska. Her crew of three survived.[14]

24 August

List of shipwrecks: 24 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
Cry Havoc	United States	With no one on board, the 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Ugashik, Alaska.[11]
Myrtle D	United States	The 33-foot (10.1 m) salmon troller was wrecked without loss of life at Elfin Cove, Alaska, after her operator fell asleep at her wheel.[7]

25 August

List of shipwrecks: 25 August 1997

Ship	State	Description
South Wind	United States	The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Sand Point, Alaska. Her two crew members survived.[3]

September

8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Fierté Gondávienne	Haiti	The sailing vessel sank in the Windward Passage with the loss of up to 400 lives.[23]

10 September

List of shipwrecks: 10 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Ronny	United States	With no one on board, the 46-foot (14.0 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Stepovak Bay (55°40′N 159°50′W) on the Gulf of Alaska coast of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska.[4]

15 September

List of shipwrecks: 15 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Jerry	United States	The retired 42-foot (12.8 m) tug was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 6.5 nautical miles (12.0 km) off Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, in 80 feet (24 m) of water at 39°37.757′N 074°00.828′W.[24]

22 September

List of shipwrecks: 22 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Troika	United States	The 50-foot (15 m) crab-fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea about 12 nautical miles (22 km) southeast of Saint Paul Island in the Pribilof Islands. Three members of her four-man crew put on survival suits and survived, and they were rescued by the fishing vessel Gala Maureen ( United States); the fourth, her captain, was not wearing a survival suit and died of hypothermia.[15]

24 September

List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Victoria Ann	United States	After a hull plank gave way, the 42-foot (13 m) seiner ran aground and sank in Hidden Basin, Ugak Bay, Alaska.[25]

27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1997

Ship	State	Description
Trina	United States	The 42-foot (13 m) longline cod-fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska near Perl Island off the coast of Alaska. The only person aboard abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by the fishing vessel Deva ( United States).[15]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown

Ship	State	Description
Nina T	United States	The 70-foot (21 m) fishing trawler was scuttled sometime in September in 100 feet (30 m) of water off Eastern Point in Gloucester, Massachusetts, at 42°34.133′N 070°40.522′W.[26]

October

6 October

List of shipwrecks: 6 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Coastal Trader	United States	The 168.5-foot (51.4 m) fish tender's crew of seven abandoned her 70 nautical miles (130 km) off Cape Muzon on Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska near Dixon Entrance after she caught fire during a voyage from Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea to Seattle, Washington. United States Coast Guard helicopters rescued her crew, and a salvage vessel towed her into port.[11]

8 October

List of shipwrecks: 8 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
USS YON-81	United States Navy	Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 165-foot (50 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°01.832′N 073°59.677′W. Her wreck is known as the "Captain Ed Schmidiger" barge.[27]
USS YON-84	United States Navy	Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 174-foot (53 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°00.587′N 073°59.391′W. Her wreck is known as "Ocean Wreck Divers III."[28]

11 October

List of shipwrecks: 11 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Sea Glider	United States	The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska near the Barren Islands in the Kodiak Archipelago. A United States Coast Guard helicopter rescued her entire crew of four from a life raft.[3]

13 October

List of shipwrecks: 13 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Anna T	United States	The 27-foot (8.2 m) salmon seiner was burned and sank in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[29]

26 October

List of shipwrecks: 26 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Loose Goose Too	United States	The 26-foot (7.9 m) cabin cruiser disappeared in Kachemak Bay in Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of Alaska with the loss of both people on board.[8]

27 October

List of shipwrecks: 27 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Sand Kite	United Kingdom	The cargo ship struck one of the piers of the Thames Barrier and sank. Later raised, repaired and returned to service.[30]

28 October

List of shipwrecks: 28 October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Memories	United States	After her operator fell asleep at her wheel, the 49-foot (14.9 m) shrimp pot fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Wrangell Narrows in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of two survived.[7]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date October 1997

Ship	State	Description
Janet	United States	The 85-foot (26 m) decommissioned tugboat was scuttled as an artificial reef in 97 feet (30 m) of water off Okaloosa County, Florida.[31]

November

2 November

List of shipwrecks: 2 November 1997

Ship	State	Description
Northern Voyager	United States	While undergoing sea trials after a refit, the 120-foot (36.6 m), 196-gross ton fishing vessel sank without loss of life in 175 feet (53 m) of water in the Atlantic Ocean off Gloucester, Massachusetts, 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) east of Eastern Point Light at 42°34.451′N 070°36.295′W.[32]

12 November

List of shipwrecks: 12 November 1997

Ship	State	Description
Elizabeth	United States	The 47-foot (14.3 m) dive boat sank near Metlakatla, Alaska, after her cargo shifted. All four people on board survived.[33]

17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1997

Ship	State	Description
Constitution	United States	The ocean liner sank in the Pacific Ocean 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) north of Hawaii whilst under tow to the shipbreakers.

19 November

List of shipwrecks: 19 November 1997

Ship	State	Description
Green Lily	Bahamas	The cargo ship ran aground at Bressay, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom after her engine failed in a storm. All fifteen crew were rescued by the Lerwick lifeboat and a helicopter, although the winchman of the helicopter was killed after his winchline had to be cut.[34]

20 November

List of shipwrecks: 20 November 1997

Ship	State	Description
September Song	United States	The 33-foot (10 m) longline cod-fishing vessel flooded and sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Southeast Alaska southwest of Baranof Island (58°57′N 152°15′W) after her scuppers became clogged with fish. Both crew members survived.[3]

December

14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1997

Ship	State	Description
HMAS Swan	Royal Australian Navy	The decommissioned River-class destroyer escort was scuttled in the Indian Ocean approximately 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) from Point Picquet near Dunsborough, Western Australia, at 33°33′02″S 115°06′02″E to serve as a recreational dive site.
The Living Christ	Haiti	The sailing ship sank off the Île de Gonâve, Haiti, with the loss of about 40 lives. There were 15 survivors reported.[35]

19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1997

Ship	State	Description
Golden Eagle	United States	The retired 80-foot (24.4 m) fishing trawler was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, at 40°08.190′N 073°56.100′W.[36]
Restorer	United States	While under tow with the retired fishing trawler Golden Eagle ( United States) to a location 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, to be scuttled as an artificial reef, the retired 62-foot (18.9 m) tug sank unexpectedly in the North Atlantic Ocean at 40°08.005′N 073°56.025′W.[37]

22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1997

Ship	State	Description
Callisto	United States	The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller sank approximately 45 nautical miles (83 km) south of Sitka, Alaska. The only person aboard survived.[11]

29 December

List of shipwrecks: 29 December 1997

Ship	State	Description
Morning Dew	United States	The 34-foot (10.4 m) sailboat struck the rock jetty in the shipping channel of Charleston Harbor 32°49′N 79°55′W. All four people aboard died.[38]

30 December

List of shipwrecks: 30 December 1997

Ship	State	Description
Happy Hooker II	United States	The 28-foot (8.5 m) dive boat iced up, dragged her anchor, and sank in Alitak Bay 56°50′N 154°10′W on the coast of Alaska's Kodiak Island. All three people aboard survived.[39]
Merchant Patriot	United Kingdom	The ship sprang a leak in her engine room and was abandoned off the Bahamas. Declared a constructive total loss, she was towed to Freeport, Bahamas for scrapping.[40]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997

Ship	State	Description
Catalina	United States	Catalina, June 2011 The passenger ferry foundered at Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.[41]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997

Ship	State	Description
Anafi	Unknown	Carrying a cargo of coal, the ship caught fire in the Piraeus Roads, Greece and was abandoned.[42]
Brown Bear	United States	The motor vessel, a former research ship, was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California, in late 1997 or in January 1998.[43]
Christiana	Norway	The ketch foundered in the North Sea,[44] and sank at a depth of 500 metres (1,640 ft) off Mandal, Norway. Later raised and repaired.[45]
HMBS David Tucker	Royal Bahamas Defence Force	The decommissioned Cape-class patrol vessel was sunk as an artificial reef in the Bahamas.
Mr. J	United States	The crab processor – a former PCE-842-class patrol craft and auxiliary minelayer – was towed out into the Pacific Ocean and scuttled sometime in the 1990s.[46]