Buzz
UNESCO reports that around three million shipwrecks lie scattered across the globe's oceans. With the vastness of the seas, navigating them can be an incredibly isolated and perilous journey. Some ships meet their fate due to violent storms, others succumb to a lack of resources or crash into land, while some simply vanish without a trace, never to be found again.
For each shipwreck we can piece together, there are at least ten others that remain enshrouded in mystery. These sunken remains are chilling reminders of past catastrophes, preserved hundreds or even thousands of feet beneath the surface. Here, we explore some of the most perplexing shipwrecks that still elude explanation.
10. The World Trade Center Shipwreck
One of the most profound tragedies of the modern era occurred on September 11, 2001: Four commercial airplanes were hijacked by terrorists and directed toward critical landmarks in the United States. Two of these aircraft struck the 110-story World Trade Center towers, which collapsed later that same day.
The catastrophe led to the complete destruction of the World Trade Center, which required debris to be cleared before any reconstruction could begin. Excavation work started to create an underground security and parking complex. However, digging was halted in 2010 when workers uncovered something unexpected 6.7 meters (22 feet) beneath the surface, slightly south of where the twin towers once stood: a shipwreck.
Subsequent analysis revealed that the trees used in constructing the ship were felled in 1773, just a few years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The ship was made from the same white oaks that were also used to build Independence Hall, where the Declaration was signed. Archaeologists determined that the ship was almost certainly built in Philadelphia, the heart of the American shipbuilding industry at that time. It’s likely that the vessel was active during those pivotal years when America broke away from Britain.
Archaeologists remain uncertain about how the ship ended up there, but it’s generally believed that the area was still part of the sea during the American Revolution. The ship might have been deliberately dismantled and buried as part of a deliberate effort to extend Manhattan's shoreline, or it could have simply been another casualty of the unpredictable ocean.
9. The Mary Rose
The Mary Rose stood as the unrivaled pride of the English navy for over three decades. Launched in 1511, during the early years of the Age of Sail, it was the largest vessel in the English fleet and among the most advanced ships of its time. It was one of the first to incorporate the revolutionary gunport design, allowing it to fire a broadside. The ship participated in numerous battles, primarily against France, England's principal adversary, before it sank in battle in 1545.
The exact reasons behind the Mary Rose’s sinking remain unclear. On the day of its demise, the English fleet was docked at Portsmouth harbor, leaving it vulnerable to attack. French galleys launched an unexpected assault, and the Mary Rose, along with another ship, sailed out to engage them. A contemporary report states that the ship suddenly tilted to one side, allowing water to pour in through the open gunports. The vessel sank swiftly, taking more than 90 percent of its 400-man crew with it. The ship went down in full view of Southsea Castle, where today a buoy marks the wreck site, visible from the castle walls.
Various theories have been suggested to explain the tragedy, but none have been fully conclusive. One theory posits that the ship was overloaded after a recent refit, which added more crew members and artillery, though the refit had occurred nine years earlier. A French captain present at the battle claimed that a cannonball was responsible for the sinking, yet no solid evidence has been found to support this. Another contemporary suggested that a gust of wind struck the ship while it was turning after firing its guns, causing it to list too far to the right. The Mary Rose was eventually recovered from the seabed and is now displayed in a museum in Portsmouth, but even today, experts still debate the true cause of its sinking.
8. The Jenny Lind
In 1850, the Jenny Lind was over 480 kilometers (300 miles) from the Australian mainland when it suddenly struck land. The ship collided with a small underwater ridge. The crew survived for 37 days on a tiny, sandy quay while they built a new vessel, then sailed more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) to Moreton Bay on the Australian mainland. All 28 crew members survived the ordeal.
The incredible survival story was widely covered in newspapers at the time, and soon after, the unexpected landmass, known as Kenn Reefs, began appearing on navigation maps. Following this, travel past the ridge, which sat in the heart of a busy trade route, became much safer. Even today, however, we still don't fully know how many ships the ridge has claimed. The Bona Vista struck it in 1828, and a report from 1857 mentioned that the southern end of the reef was already “strewn with wrecks” by then. Modern estimates suggest that at least eight ships have met their doom at this perilous reef.
The primary issue is the relentless power of the sea that continuously batters the atoll. A visit to Kenn Reefs in the 1980s showed that both the Jenny Lind and Bona Vista were still partially visible above the water, but another expedition in January 2017 discovered that they had been destroyed by then. The tropical weather and fierce currents quickly reduce any ships wrecked there to their metal components, making it nearly impossible to determine just how many ships have been claimed. However, investigators remain determined: They are currently cataloging all the visible debris and reviewing shipping records from the past in an attempt to make an estimate.
7. The Waratah
The SS Waratah was a state-of-the-art passenger liner constructed in Glasgow. Designed to carry passengers between the UK and Australia, it was expected to be a robust and reliable ocean-going vessel. However, during its test voyages, the ship raised some concerns when the captain reported that it sometimes felt unstable and difficult to maneuver, giving the impression of being top-heavy.
The ship continued to operate and departed Durban in July 1909, with a planned three-day journey to Cape Town. The ship was sighted on its first day at sea, but then it vanished without a trace. One sailor noted seeing the ship emitting heavy smoke, while another reported observing two bright flashes during the night. Since such flashes were common from bushfires along the South African coast, he didn't think to record them in his log until the ship was reported missing.
Since its disappearance, numerous attempts have been made to locate the ship. After nearly a century of searching, the South African National Underwater and Maritime Agency announced they had found it in July 1999, even conducting a deep-sea dive to confirm the discovery. However, months later, they realized it was the wreck of another ship—the military transport vessel Nailsea Meadow, which had a similar structure. To this day, no trace of the Waratah has ever been discovered. Its sinking caused the total collapse of the Blue Anchor Line, which owned the ship, leading them to sell off their entire fleet the following year.
6. The Andrea Doria
During World War II, global travel came to a halt as people became increasingly reluctant to take the risk of traveling or even vacationing during wartime. However, with the war's end came a new era for cruise liners and luxury ocean liners. Bright, lavish, and extravagant, these ships dominated the Atlantic, allowing people to explore distant lands they’d never seen before. Among them was the SS Andrea Doria, a ship considered unsinkable due to its design, which included 11 watertight compartments. By the time it sank in 1956, it had already completed 100 transatlantic voyages. But despite its reputation, it collided with the Swedish ship Stockholm.
The cause of the collision remains a mystery. Both ships were disregarding standard maritime procedures: The Andrea Doria was speeding through dense fog to reach New York by morning, while the Stockholm had veered off its usual course to save time on its journey. Both ship captains detected the other vessel on their radar but failed to avoid a collision. It is unclear whether one or both captains misinterpreted the data, but by the time the ships could see each other through the fog, it was already too late.
Despite frantic efforts to avoid the crash, the Stockholm collided with the Andrea Doria’s side, driving its icebreaker prow 9 meters (30 feet) into the hull, killing dozens instantly. While the Stockholm endured the impact and remained seaworthy despite severe damage to its bow, the Andrea Doria began sinking almost immediately. The collision had thrown the ship off balance so severely that it couldn’t use its lifeboats. The ensuing rescue operation became one of the greatest maritime rescues in history, with the majority of passengers saved. The wreck of the Doria still rests on the ocean floor, and the question of which captain is responsible for the disaster remains unanswered.
5. The Zebrina
The disappearance of the crew of the Zebrina is one of the most perplexing unexplained maritime disasters of the 20th century. A three-masted sailing barge first launched in 1873, the Zebrina sailed for many years without incident. However, in September 1917, the ship set sail from Falmouth in the UK with a cargo of coal, destined for Saint-Brieuc in France, and was never seen again.
Just two days after setting out, the ship was spotted drifting outside the port of Cherbourg, France. It was later found washed up on the coastline south of the city. Upon boarding the vessel, the French coast guard discovered it completely abandoned but in pristine condition; even the table was set. The captain’s log had been updated when the ship departed from Falmouth, and there were no further entries thereafter.
An initial investigation led to the theory that the ship had been attacked by a German U-boat. It was common practice for U-boats at the time to board ships, capturing their crews or forcing them into lifeboats before sinking the ship to avoid casualties. However, no crew members appeared on German prisoner of war lists, and it was typical for U-boats to sink their targets and seize the logbooks as proof of the sinking. In this case, neither of these occurred. Due to the ongoing war, the French government abandoned the investigation, and the ship was ultimately dismantled. The fate of the crew remains a mystery.
4. The San Jose
The San Jose was a 64-gun galleon in the Spanish navy, launched in 1698. As part of the Spanish treasure fleet, it made numerous voyages, with its final mission as the flagship of the southern fleet, tasked with collecting treasure from the coastlines of Colombia and Panama.
The fleet encountered a setback on June 8, 1708, when it came across a British naval squadron. The British emerged victorious, though they failed to capture any significant treasure. Out of the three Spanish ships they defeated, one was deliberately burned by its crew, and another, the San Jose, erupted in an explosion during the battle. While the cause of the explosion remains uncertain, it led to the deaths of nearly all of the ship's 600-man crew, leaving only 11 survivors, and the immediate sinking of the vessel. The remaining Spanish ships retreated to the safe harbor of Cartagena. The San Jose sank with over $17 billion worth of treasure (in today's value), an unfortunate outcome that led to the court-martialing of the British captains upon their return home.
The cause of the explosion could have been anything from a stray cannonball to a spark from a musket. What is certain, however, is that the wreck of the San Jose is one of the most valuable in history and has earned the title “Holy Grail of shipwrecks.” Its location remained a mystery until 2015 when it was finally discovered. Colombia has expressed its plans to recover the wreck and display its treasure in a museum. The ship's exact location remains a closely guarded state secret to prevent looting.
3. Le Griffon
Over the centuries, thousands of ships have sunk in the Great Lakes, but none more elusive than the very first notable wreck, Le Griffon. Despite numerous famous searches, the ship continues to evade discovery. Many joke that Le Griffon is the most “found” ship in North America, yet its fate remains an enduring mystery to this day.
In 1679, Rene Robert Cavalier, also known as La Salle, constructed a vessel at Cayuga Creek as part of his expedition to discover the Northwest Passage. During that period, the French believed the Great Lakes might provide a connection to the Pacific Ocean. La Salle, along with a crew of 32, set sail on the ship’s first voyage on August 7, with plans to map the Great Lakes. By September 18, La Salle and most of the crew disembarked on an island, leaving six men aboard to take the ship back to Niagara. However, the ship mysteriously disappeared during the return journey.
Numerous theories have been suggested to explain the ship’s disappearance, including an attack by Native Americans or a devastating storm. As time passed, troubling rumors spread among the native tribes La Salle encountered. Some claimed to have seen men resembling the missing crew, wearing the same pelts that had gone missing. La Salle himself was convinced that the crew deliberately sank the ship and absconded with its cargo, but he was never able to substantiate this claim.
The search for the missing ship has become a lifelong endeavor for many explorers. Several have devoted decades to uncovering the fate of Le Griffon, investigating numerous claims, but all their efforts have yielded no results. The public’s intense interest in the mystery has given rise to countless myths, legends, and half-truths, which have only served to obscure the true fate of Le Griffon.
2. The Patriot
The Patriot was a swift schooner that saw action during the War of 1812. Originally serving as a pilot boat, it was known for its remarkable speed, making it an excellent vessel for privateering. Employed in raids against British shipping, it proved successful. By December 30, however, the ship was reconfigured as a civilian vessel. It departed Charleston after a series of successful missions, intending to reach New York. Among the passengers was Theodosia Burr Alston, the daughter of Aaron Burr and wife of South Carolina’s governor.
Although the ship’s name had been covered up and it carried a letter of authority, the crew encountered a British patrol on January 2, 1813. Despite the ship’s guns being hidden below deck and the hold filled with the spoils of months of privateering, the patrol eventually allowed the Patriot to continue its journey.
However, shortly after the encounter, the Patriot mysteriously vanished and never arrived in New York. Speculation regarding its fate began immediately. Many believed it was likely captured by pirates, as the coastline of North Carolina was known for pirate activity. Over the years, there were numerous “deathbed confessions” from pirates and others claiming involvement in the ship’s capture. One man even alleged that he had lured the ship ashore, where he and his crew looted it and killed the crew members.
The most plausible theory, however, is that the ship sank during a storm. According to the log of a British blockading fleet, a violent storm struck the night of January 2 and continued through the following day. Experts suggest that the region where the storm was most intense corresponds with the location where the Patriot would have been at that time. The exact fate, however, remains uncertain.
1. The Baychimo
The SS Baychimo had a fairly standard history: Originally constructed in Sweden in 1914, it was first owned by the German navy, operating between Hamburg and Sweden. Following Germany’s war reparations, it was transferred to Britain. In 1921, the Hudson’s Bay Company took ownership, using the vessel to navigate the northern parts of Canada, where it was primarily used to collect fur pelts for shipment back to Europe.
Crews operating in such northern regions were accustomed to the harsh realities of ice, so when the Baychimo became stuck on October 1, 1931, it was not initially a cause for alarm. The crew abandoned the ship and took refuge in the town of Barrow, planning to return once the ice had cleared. However, the ship continued to get stuck, prompting the company to fly half the crew back home. The remaining crew, prepared to wait through the winter if needed, constructed a nearby shelter. On November 24, a violent blizzard struck, and when it cleared, the ship was nowhere to be found. The crew was ready to leave but a week later, an Inuit from Barrow reported seeing the ship drifting. They eventually located the vessel, but it was so damaged that they abandoned all hopes of sailing it. They salvaged whatever cargo they could and left, anticipating the ship’s inevitable sinking.
However, the ship defied expectations and continued to drift through the northern waters for years, gradually becoming a local legend. Numerous stories emerged, with some suggesting the ship became trapped in a glacier. The last verified sighting took place in 1962, over thirty years after the ship had been abandoned. A group of Inupiat, traveling in kayaks, claimed to have seen it drifting along the Alaskan coast. Despite several extensive searches, no trace of the ship has ever been found.
