A shipwreck is the remains of a ship that has wrecked, which are found either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. Shipwrecking may be purposeful or accidental. The United Nations estimates that there are more than 3 million shipwrecks on the ocean floor. Below is a list of 7 incredible shipwrecks found on beach or land.
SS Sapona, wrecked on Bimni Island, the Bahamas
SS Sapona was a concrete-hulled cargo steamer that ran aground near Bimini during a hurricane in 1926. The wreck of the ship is easily visible above the water and is both a navigational landmark for boaters and a popular dive site. During World War II, the wreck was used for target practice by the U.S. Army Air Force and U.S. Navy.
MV Jessica, wrecked on Galapagos Islands
The Jessica was an oil tanker that was involved in an oil spill in the Galápagos Islands: On the evening of January 16, 2001, the Jessica ran aground at Wreck bay, at the entrance to the port of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The ship was carrying 600 tons (160,000 gallons) of diesel oil and 300 tons (80,000 gallons) of intermediate fuel oil that began to spill. This was one of the worst environmental disasters in the archipelago’s history.
The Panagiotis, wrecked on Zakynthos, Greece
The Panagiotis is a shipwreck lying in the white sands of an exposed cove on the coast of Zakynthos (Zante), one of the many islands of Greece. The spot where she lies is called Navagio (“Shipwreck”) and is a popular tourist attraction with thousands of visitors each year. She was built in Scotland in 1937 and wrecked in 1980, probably while carrying contraband cigarettes and being chased by the Greek Navy.
MV Plassey, wrecked on Inisheer, Aran Islands, Ireland
MV Plassy, or Plassey, was a steam trawler launched in late 1940. On 8 March 1960, while sailing through Galway Bay she was caught in a severe storm and ran onto Finnis Rock, Inisheer, Aran Islands. Several weeks later a second storm washed the ship off the rock and drove her ashore on the island.
Eduard Bohlen, wrecked on Skeleton Coast, Namibia
The Eduard Bohlen was a ship that ran aground off the coast of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast on September 5, 1909, in a thick fog. Currently, the wreck lies in the sand a quarter mile from the shoreline.
MV Sygna, wrecked on Stockton Beach, Australia
The MV Sygna was a 53,000-tonne Norwegian bulk carrier. The ship ran aground during a major storm on 26 May 1974. The wreck is located on Stockton Beach in New South Wales and has become an icon and landmark for the local area.
Dimitrios, wrecked on Gytheio, Greece
Dimitrios (previously named “Klintholm”), a small 67-meter freight ship of 965 tons cargo capacity built in 1950. Dimitrios has been stranded on the beach of Valtaki near Gythio since December 23, 1981.
