The cruise ship Lakonia of the Greek Line caught fire on 22 December, 1963, and later sank, killing 128 passengers and crew.
Category: Episodes
Episode releases, images, show notes, and sources.
The Victoria Day Disaster
The Steamboat Victoria sank on Victoria Day, May 24, 1881, in London, Ontario when it became unstable, and its boiler came loose and crashed into the boat’s support stanchions. The upper deck crashed down on those below, killing over 180 people.
Doña Paz – Asia’s Titanic
On December 20th, 1987, the MV Doña Paz collided with the oil tanker MT Vector killing over 4300 passengers on the overcrowded Doña Paz. It is the worst peacetime maritime disaster in history.
The Zeewijk with Dr. Howard Gray
The Dutch East India Company vessel Zeewijk wrecked off the coast of Western Australia in 1727. Survivors built a boat and sailed over 1600 miles to the island of Java.
Catching Up With Team Salty Science
In December of 2023, the team of Salty Science rowed across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for ocean conservation education.
Flames of Sorrow: The General Slocum Tragedy
The paddle-steamer General Slocum caught fire and sank in the East River on June 15, 1904, killing over 1,000 people.
PJ Ornot: USCG Rescue Swimmer
Retired US Coast Guardsman PJ Ornot served 24 years as a Rescue Swimmer, and shares some of his most memorable moments during his career.
The Baltimore Bridge Disaster
On March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland collapsed after being struck by the container ship MV Dali.
The Raft of the Medusa
The French frigate Medusa wrecked in 1816 off the coast of modern Mauritania. The survivors, left on a makeshift raft, endured starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism before rescue. The incident sparked public outrage and inspired Théodore Géricault’s famous painting “The Raft of the Medusa.”
The Sinking of the Vasa
The Swedish ship Vasa was a warship built in the early 17th century during the reign of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. Despite being one of the most powerful warships of its time, the Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, just minutes after setting sail from Stockholm’s harbor.