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Abandoned underwater wrecks offer travelers a fascinating glimpse into history beneath the surface.These sunken vessels and aircraft convey the tales of tragic accidents, war, lost treasure, and unexpected finds across oceans, rivers and coastal waters. Some have made their way to fame as destinations for diving, others are still inaccessible due to the depth, location or dangerous conditions.
Every wreck in the North Atlantic, including the legendary Titanic, has a story to tell, and the San José, whose sunken ship was formed into an artificial reef, is no exception. These are 20 of the world's sunken shipwrecks that remain a draw for divers, photographers, historians and anyone with an inquisitive spirit.
The “Titanic” – a maiden voyage that proved fatal
On the night of 14–15 April 1912, the RMS Titanic ploughed, steaming at full speed, through the dark water bound for New York. On the unlit night, the world's biggest ship sliced through, but long past the point of return when her captain sighted it: the giant iceberg hanging directly across her bow. In the frozen North Atlantic cold, the Titanic sank beneath the water along with nearly every one onboard.
The “Amsterdam” – a Dutch cargo ship off the English coast
Amsterdam can be found in the sea of Hastings, U.K. The cargo ship hit the coast and sunk in the mud in 1749 and was hidden for years until 1969 when she washed up on Bulverhythe beach at low spring tide. Dutch East India company ship pieces can only be found seasonally.
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The “USS Kittiwake” – an American submarine rescue ship-turned-artificial reef
The wreck of the USS Kittiwake is sunken to 20m (65ft) depth in the clear, Caribbean waters of the ocean. It had previously been bought from the Americans by the government of the Cayman Islands who consequently decided to sink it close to Seven-mile beach as an artificial reef.
The USS Kittiwake is resting on a bed of white sand and offers the chance for marine life to settle, and for fish, plant life and lots of tourists to visit.
The “Empress of Ireland” – Canada’s deadliest shipwreck
The Empress of Ireland was a steamship taking 1,477 passengers and sank on the St. Lawrence River in late May of 1914. While many believe it to be Canada's most catastrophic maritime disaster, public interest in the Empress of Ireland wreck has greatly diminished because the Titanic sinking had already occurred just a few years prior.
The Empress operated on a regular shipping route, transporting many passengers from Quebec City to Liverpool, England. One night, while traveling through thick fog on the St. Lawrence River, it ran into the steel bow of the Storstad, which was a Norwegian collier, and sank within 14 minutes of striking it.
The “San José” – the shipwreck of all shipwrecks
Many people consider the Spanish galleon the "holy grail of shipwrecks." The British navy sank the San Jo 600 meters below sea level in the Caribbean Sea in 1708 during the struggle among European empires for domination over the New World.
Researchers discovered the San Jo in 2015 outside Colombian territorial waters. The disputed content of the sunken vessel contains, among other treasures, gold coins, silver, emeralds.
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A fighter plane buried since 1942
However, Wales also possesses another type of underwater wreck. This is an American World War Two fighter plane that plunged into the sea off the coast of Wales in 1942. Those nearby affectionately named the ‘Maid of Harlech.’
The wreck has only appeared on three separate occasions since its demise and although it’s a specter like none other, very specific sea conditions can only ever allow the wrecked aircraft’s public appearance.
The “MS Zenobia” – a vehicle graveyard in the Mediterranean Sea
Off the coast of Larnaca, Cyprus, lies a virtual underwater maze of sorts – a 172-meter (565ft) shipwreck hailed as one of the best wrecks the world over. The MS Zenobia was a roll-on/roll-off ferry that was traveling across the Mediterranean Sea carrying more than 100 trucks and cars in late May of 1980 when it started listing.
After the authorities brought it into the Larnaca harbor a couple of days later, the issue continued to get worse until finally she sank and overturned in plain view of the captain and crew. The wreck and cargo are estimated to be valued at US$200 million.
The “SS Carnatic” – tragedy off the coast of Egypt
- The SS Carnatic was in transit in September 1869 to Bombay, traversing the Gulf of Suez in the Red Sea. On board, while the rest of the passengers had long since fallen asleep, the vessel struck the Sha'b Abu Nuhas coral reef. The captain assessed the vessel as seaworthy again after seeing it had taken a battering.
- A short while later, she started taking water and the SS Carnatic split in two before her passengers successfully evacuated into waiting vessels – unfortunately, 31 souls did not survive as the broken shell of the ship sank below the surface.
- Fortunately for the insurers, the ship and her gold were recovered, though stories of lost treasure still float above the wrecks 150 years later.
The “SS Benwood” – a crash in the dark
When the Norwegian-flagged cargo ship SS Benwood, delivered and activated in 1942, set off the east coast to ship phosphate from Tampa, FL, to Norfolk, VA, the ships found themselves in harm's way for no valid reason.
The Benwood, cruising in the shallow, clear waters offshore of the Florida Keys with no lights on to avoid submarines in the region of the Caribbean and the Bahamas, hit the Robert C. Tuttle, which happened to have no lights on for the very same reason.
FAQ
1. What are abandoned underwater wrecks?
Abandoned underwater wrecks are ships, aircraft or other vessels that have sunk or been left underwater and remain at their final resting places.
2. Which is the most famous underwater wreck?
The Titanic is one of the world's most famous shipwrecks and remains a major subject of maritime history and underwater exploration.
3. Where is the San José shipwreck located?
The historic San José wreck lies in the Caribbean Sea off Colombia and is famous for its valuable cargo and long-running historical interest.
4. Can tourists visit underwater wrecks?
Some wrecks can be visited by experienced divers, while others are too deep, protected or dangerous for ordinary tourists to access.
5. Why are some ships turned into artificial reefs?
Ships such as the USS Kittiwake have been deliberately sunk to create artificial reefs that provide habitats for marine life and attract recreational divers.