Discover the Most Intriguing Sunken Ships Around the Globe

Unlock a whole new world of discovery beneath the waves!  The United Nations estimates that there are 3 million sunken ships on the ocean floor, and we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch of 30 wrecks that will make you marvel, gape, and even experience a little bit of submechanophobia!

After 106 years of being submerged beneath the Weddell Sea, the historic shipwreck, Endurance, was discovered by a team of technicians, marine archaeologists, and adventurers. Endurance has become renowned for its connection to the survival story of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, who led a crew of 27 men (and one cat) on their Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917. 

The Mediterranean Sky is one of the most renowned shipwrecks in Greece. Initially built in 1953 in the United Kingdom as “City of York”, it was purchased by Greek cruise company Karageorgis Lines in 1971 and renamed. Most famous for its luxurious 15-day passage from London to Cape Town, the 541-foot-long vessel offered two swimming pools, and state-of-the-art cabins for up to 1,000 passengers and 470 vehicles. 

Located near Egypt’s Ras Mohammad National Park lies the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm, a British Merchant Navy ship that was sunk during World War II. The ship was powered by a 1,850 horsepower triple-expansion steam engine and was armed with a 4.7-inch anti-aircraft gun and a heavy caliber machine gun. 

Once known as the Shoyo Maru and Markus, the Giannis D was a cargo ship built in Imabari, Japan in 1969. In 1983, it set off from Rijeka, Yugoslavia, on its last voyage but never reached its destination. 

Experience the thrilling underwater adventure of exploring the famous shipwreck of Sweepstakes in Big Tub Harbour, Ontario. Just three hours from Toronto, the Great Lakes Schooner built in 1867 lies close to the surface of the water and makes for a great spot for divers and tourists alike. 

Bernie Hellstrom had a passion for maritime history and diving, so when his depth sounder detected an object 200 feet below the surface of northern Lake Michigan, he was eager to investigate. 

Not all shipwrecks are a result of accidents or war. The USNS General Hoyt S Vandenberg was originally a military troop transport and missile-tracking ship during World War II. After it was officially decommissioned in 1983, the 17,120 ton, 522 feet long vessel was intentionally sunk to create an artificial coral reef in 2009. 

The Solomon Islands have a unique sight – a shipwreck that is only half-sunk. This former cruise ship met with an uncharted coral reef in 2000 making that its final journey and its new home. 

The Niagara Scow, an iron scow that had been lodged in the Niagara Falls for 101 years, finally moved in November 2019. After a storm surge caused winds of more than 50 miles per hour, it moved 160 feet downstream! 

The tragic story of the cargo ship, Dimitrios, is one shrouded in mystery. Originally built in Denmark as Klintholm in 1950, it was acquired by a Greek company and moored in Gytheio, Greece in 1980 before being declared unsafe and eventually breaking free of its moorings during a storm. 

Dive deep into the depths of Chuuk Lagoon and uncover the mystery of the Fujikawa. Built by Mitsubishi in 1938 and used as a liner in the North American run, the 450-foot-long vessel was later taken over by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted into an aircraft ferry. 

Are you an adventure enthusiast looking for a unique experience? A visit to the Eduard Bohlen shipwreck, located along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, is sure to be an unforgettable journey. As a graveyard of wrecked ships, the Eduard Bohlen is notoriously difficult to access, requiring a special vehicle and licensed guide. 

On June 1919, during World War I, the Royal Navy destroyed the German fleet in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands. The ships were to be surrendered and disarmed, but were instead being used as bargaining chips in Paris while peace talks were ongoing. 

Built in England in 1864, the HMS Vixen was a behemoth gunboat whose hull was covered with teakwood. After sea trials, Vixen and her sister, Viper, were deemed too slow to sail and were towed to Bermuda in 1888 to serve as defense ships. 

Gaze in awe at the incredible sight of the Peter Iredale wreck on the Oregon Coast! This four-masted steel barque vessel, owned by the British company Iredale & Porter, has been here since 1906. It all began when the ship was leaving Santa Cruz, Mexico, headed for Portland to pick up wheat for the UK, when a storm hit and stranded it there. 

Palau is home to its own WWII ship graveyard, boasting 60 wrecks for the adventurous diver. One of the largest is the Iro Maru, sunk in 1944 during the U.S. Navy’s Operation Desecrate 1. This nearly 470-foot long vessel lies 120 feet below the surface, with plenty of fish and corals having made it into a home. 

The USS Kittiwake was a submarine rescue ship that was launched on July 10, 1945, and decommissioned on September 30, 1994. During its 49 years of service, it traversed the seas, accompanying submarines during sea trials and underwater rescue missions. 

On April Fool’s Day 1848, the James McBride was launched. Some nine years later, the ship sailed to the Manitou Islands, loaded with a cargo of wood, which was destined for Chicago. On her return trip, a fierce gale blew her on to the shores of Sleeping Bear Dune, which became her final resting place.

Uncover the mystery of the Melckmeyt – the oldest known shipwreck in Iceland! Found just off the coast of the tiny island of Flatey, the 108-foot vessel has been submerged in 40 feet of water since it sank during a smuggler’s run gone awry in 1664. 

The Vasa, a 17th-century Swedish ship, is a remarkable tale of engineering gone wrong. On its maiden voyage out of Stockholm harbor, it tragically sank right before the eyes of astounded onlookers. Designed to be the most advanced ship of its time, it was soon revealed that the gun deck had been constructed by someone with no experience in shipbuilding. 

Discover the remains of the historic SS Atlantus at Sunset Beach, New Jersey. Built in 1918 by the Liberty Ship Building Company in Brunswick, Georgia, the SS Atlantus was the first of the concrete ships produced by the U.S. as part of its World War I Emergency Fleet. 

Once a luxurious cruise ship, the SS Maheno saw a dramatic change when it was repurposed during World War I and converted into a hospital ship, transporting casualties between Sydney and Melbourne. Later, it served in the United Kingdom, carrying patients from France to England. 

Discover the remains of a WWII-era ship at ‘Shipwreck Beach’, a notoriously hazardous spot in Lanai, Hawaii, famed for its strong winds and big swells. So it comes as no surprise that over a dozen ships have run aground there. Come explore the YOGN-42, a World War II-era fuel tanker, which is the main attraction at the beach as it’s not fully submerged. 

The SS Ayrfield is a majestic sight to behold, standing tall among the four abandoned ships in Australia’s Homebush Bay. Built in 1911, this former cargo freighter serves as a reminder of the Bay’s industrial past. 

It was a sight that many beachgoers in Greece were not expecting; a shipwrecked vessel beached in the cove, looking like a funky piece of art. People were taking pictures in front of the Panagiotis and setting up their towels beside it. Little did they know, the ship had a hidden past. 

Take a journey to explore an incredible nuclear test blast site! The USS Saratoga, an 880-foot aircraft carrier, is sunk in Bikini Atoll, a nearby coral reef. It was sunk by a 1946 nuclear test blast, making it a unique and interesting sight to behold. 

Discover the majestic shipwreck of the Hermes, an iconic vessel that was formerly operated by the Navy and built in Pennsylvania in 1943. Sitting upright in 80 feet of water, divers can explore this 165-foot-long wreck with ease. 

The tragic story of the roll-on/roll-off ferry that never reached its destination in Syria is one that is still remembered today. In 1980 on her maiden voyage, the ship headed from Malmö to Syria met an unexpected fate beneath the clear waters of Larnaca Bay. It began listing to port due to a computer malfunction, pumping excess water into the ballast tanks. 

Take a dive into the depths of the Sea Tiger in Hawaii and explore the wonders of the deep! Once a vessel that housed 93 illegal Chinese immigrants, this boat was intentionally sunk off the coast of Waikiki Beach in 1999 and has since become an artificial reef, teeming with marine life such as moray eels, green sea turtles, and squirrelfish. 

Take a trip back in time and explore the historic remains of the Dominator, a freight ship that ran aground off the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 1961. As the wreckage is typically above the water line, no diving skills are required to get up close and personal with this rusting hulk.