24 Famous Sunken Shipwrecks in the World
Sunken shipwrecks offer a haunting glimpse into the past—stories of tragedy, mystery, war, and exploration lie buried beneath the sea. From ancient trade vessels to modern luxury liners, the ocean floor is a vast museum of maritime history. Here are 24 of the most famous sunken shipwrecks in the world.
1. RMS Titanic (North Atlantic Ocean)
Perhaps the most iconic shipwreck, the Titanic sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Over 1,500 people perished, and its discovery in 1985 reignited global fascination.
2. RMS Lusitania (Celtic Sea)
Torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1915 during WWI, the sinking of Lusitania contributed to the U.S. entering the war. It rests off the coast of Ireland.
3. SS Andrea Doria (Atlantic Ocean, off Nantucket)
This luxury Italian liner collided with the MS Stockholm in 1956 and sank, becoming one of the most famous peacetime maritime disasters.
4. Bismarck (North Atlantic Ocean)
Nazi Germany's powerful battleship was sunk in 1941 after a fierce battle with the British Navy. It remains nearly intact, 4,800 meters below the surface.
5. USS Arizona (Pearl Harbor, Hawaii)
Bombed during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Arizona is now a war memorial and the final resting place of over 1,000 sailors.
6. HMS Titanic’s Sister Ship – Britannic (Aegean Sea)
The Britannic, sister to the Titanic, was repurposed as a hospital ship in WWI and sank in 1916 after hitting a mine.
7. Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden)
The Swedish warship Vasa sank in 1628 on her maiden voyage and was salvaged in remarkable condition in 1961. It's now housed in a museum.
8. Mary Rose (Solent, England)
King Henry VIII’s flagship sank in 1545 and was raised in 1982. The remains are preserved in the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth.
9. HMS Erebus & HMS Terror (Arctic Ocean)
Lost during the ill-fated Franklin Expedition (1845), both ships were discovered in the 2010s, frozen and well-preserved in the Arctic.
10. Queen Anne’s Revenge (North Carolina, USA)
The flagship of pirate Blackbeard sank in 1718. Rediscovered in 1996, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the Golden Age of Piracy.
11. MV Wilhelm Gustloff (Baltic Sea)
Sunk by a Soviet submarine in 1945, this German transport ship had over 9,000 casualties, making it the deadliest maritime disaster in history.
12. SS Edmund Fitzgerald (Lake Superior, USA)
This American freighter sank in 1975 in a storm. Immortalized by Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad, it's a Great Lakes legend.
13. SS Thistlegorm (Red Sea, Egypt)
A British WWII supply ship sunk by German bombers in 1941, the Thistlegorm is now a popular wreck diving site with motorcycles and weapons still visible.
14. Nuestra Señora de Atocha (Florida Keys, USA)
A Spanish galleon carrying treasure sank in 1622. Much of its treasure was recovered by Mel Fisher in 1985, making it one of the most valuable wreck finds.
15. Antikythera Shipwreck (Greece)
Dating back to around 60 BC, this Roman-era wreck contained the mysterious Antikythera Mechanism—an ancient analog computer.
16. USS Indianapolis (Philippine Sea)
Sunk in 1945 after delivering atomic bomb parts, the Indianapolis’s survivors faced shark attacks and dehydration. It was rediscovered in 2017.
17. SS Yongala (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)
Lost in a cyclone in 1911, the Yongala is one of Australia’s most famous wreck dives, teeming with marine life.
18. MS World Discoverer (Solomon Islands)
A cruise ship that struck an uncharted reef in 2000. The wreck remains partially above water and is a unique sight near Roderick Bay.
19. SS Richard Montgomery (Thames Estuary, England)
This WWII Liberty ship sank with 1,400 tons of explosives still aboard. It poses a potential danger to this day.
20. SS General Slocum (New York City, USA)
Caught fire in 1904 in the East River, killing over 1,000 people. It was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in U.S. history.
21. HMS Royal Oak (Scapa Flow, Scotland)
Sunk by a German U-boat in 1939, this British battleship lies at the bottom of Scapa Flow as a war grave.
22. El Faro (Atlantic Ocean, near the Bahamas)
A U.S. cargo ship lost in Hurricane Joaquin in 2015. All 33 aboard perished, and the wreck was found at a depth of 15,000 feet.
23. Batavia (Western Australia)
A Dutch East India Company ship wrecked in 1629. The survivors faced mutiny and murder, making it one of Australia's most infamous maritime stories.
24. HMS Victory (English Channel)
Predecessor to Nelson’s famous flagship, this Victory sank in 1744 with over 1,000 lives. Discovered in 2008, it's believed to contain a vast treasure.
Conclusion
Each shipwreck is a time capsule, holding secrets of naval engineering, human ambition, and maritime catastrophe. Many are now protected dive sites, research projects, or underwater memorials—testaments to both the might of the sea and the fragility of human endeavor.