The Great Hurricane of 1780 devastated the British fleet in the West Indies and killed over 22,000.
Category: United States Shipwrecks
The Andrea Doria – The Pride of Italy
In 1956, the Andrea Doria collided with the Swedish ship Stockholm in dense fog off Nantucket Island. The beautiful and luxurious ship was lost to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Fleet of Tristán de Luna
On September 19, 1559, a devastating hurricane wiped out the settlement of Santa María de…
The Frances H. Leggett
On September 18, 1914, the freighter Francis H. Leggett sank during a devastating gale off the coast of Oregon, killing 60 people.
The S.S. Ironsides
On September 15, 1873 the steamer Ironsides went down in violent and rough seas in Lake Michigan. The cargo and passenger ship was tossed around and battered until the hull cracked and began leaking. The howling winds and angry waves prevented any possibility of rescue by a passing ship. Small cracks gave way to gaping holes and the water rushed in…
The Ship of Gold
On September 12th, 1857, the SS Central America sank in the waters off Charleston, SC after being caught in a vicious hurricane. The ship had been battered, its sails torn, and its boilers flooded before finally sinking to the bottom, 8000 ft below. It has been called the “The Ship of Gold” because it was…
Mystery Manhattan Shipwreck
In the wake of 9/11, a mystery ship was found under the remnants of the World Trade Center in 2010. It is a Dutch designed harbor sloop, built in Philadelphia. It was designed to ferry passengers through shallow and rocky waters. Based on an analysis of the wood and its tree ring data, the ship…
Episode 3: The Summit Venture and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
On the morning of May 9th, 1980, the cargo freighter Summit Venture rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida. Harbor Pilot Captain John Lerro lost all visuals and radar during a terrible and violent microburst, and veered out of the channel. Thirty-five motorists plunged to their deaths after the south span of the…
Episode 2: The S.S. Sultana Part 2
Carrying over 2200 passengers and crew, and with an improperly repaired boiler, the Sultana left Vicksburg heading north up the Mississippi River. In the early morning hours of April 27th, 1865, three out of the four boilers suddenly exploded. Despite rescue efforts, about 1200 people lost their lives. Jerry Potter, author of The Sultana Tragedy:…