List of shipwrecks in 1970

The list of shipwrecks in 1970 includes ships that sank, foundered, grounded, or were otherwise lost during 1970.

table of contents

1970
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date

January

5 January

List of shipwrecks: 5 January 1970

Ship	Country	Description
SS Badger State	United States	Ship was abandoned and sank in the North Pacific after a cargo of bombs broke loose and started to explode. 14 survivors out of a crew of 40.[1]

6 January

List of shipwrecks: 6 January 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Sofia Papas	Liberia	The tanker split in two and sank in the Pacific Ocean with the loss of seven crew.[2]

10 January

List of shipwrecks: 10 January 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Elda	Greece	Grounded near Mehidia, Morocco after developing engine trouble and a leak. Declared a total loss.

18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Fusina	Italy	Sank off Sardinia with the loss of eighteen of her nineteen crew.[3]

29 January

List of shipwrecks: 29 January 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Nathanael Greene	United States Navy	The James Madison-class submarine ran aground off Charleston, South Carolina.[4]

February

3 February

List of shipwrecks: 3 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Rio Damuji	Cuba	The cargo ship ran aground at Punta Maya, Varadero Peninsula (23°06′N 81°23′W / 23.100°N 81.383°W). Salvage was abandoned after gale damage.[5]

4 February

List of shipwrecks: 4 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Arrow	Liberia	The tanker ran aground on Cerberus Rock in Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada[6] and broke in two, resulting in the spill of 3.5 million litres of her cargo of crude oil.[7]

7 February

List of shipwrecks: 7 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Antonias Demades	Liberia	The tanker sank in the Pacific Ocean with the loss of twelve crew.[2]

9 February

List of shipwrecks: 9 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Lairdsfield	United Kingdom	The coaster capsized and sank off the Tees Estuary with the loss of all ten crew.[8]

10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
California Maru	Japan	The bulk ore carrier sank in the Pacific Ocean. Of her 29 crew,[9] all but five were rescued.[2]
TCD Foudre	French Navy	The decommissioned Casa Grande-class dock landing ship was sunk as a target.

17 February

List of shipwrecks: 17 February 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Amasya	Turkey	The cargo ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of eight of her 33 crew.[10]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Agami	France	The trawler foundered in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of all nine crew. Officially declared lost on 17 February.[10]
LT-1969	United States Army	the vessel sank in the Qui Nhon area, Vietnam. Salvaged by USS YMLC-5, USS BD 6062 and USS BD 6662 ( United States Navy) between 7 and 17 February.[11]

March

4 March

List of shipwrecks: 4 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Eurydice	Marine Nationale	The Daphné-class submarine suffered an explosion whilst submerged off St Tropez and sank with the loss of all 57 crew.

6 March

List of shipwrecks: 6 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Young	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off the Mid-Atlantic coast of the United States.

12 March

List of shipwrecks: 12 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Eternity	Panama	The cargo ship sank 200 nautical miles (370 km) south of Hong Kong. Twenty-five crew survived.[12]

13 March

List of shipwrecks: 13 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Interwave	Netherlands	The coaster ran aground off Great Yarmouth, United Kingdom.[13]

20 March

List of shipwrecks: 20 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Cony	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Puerto Rico.

22 March

List of shipwrecks: 22 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
HQ-1236	Republic of Vietnam Navy	The Armoured Troop Carrier struck a mine and sank. Salvage operations by Republic of Vietnam Navy and United States Navy personnel completed on 25 April with the vessel towed to Dong Tam, Vietnam.[11]

27 March

List of shipwrecks: 27 March 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Eaton	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a gunnery target in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (167 m) off Norfolk, Virginia.

April

1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Glen Strathallen	United Kingdom	Scuttled at 58°18′55″N 4°7′31″W / 58.31528°N 4.12528°W as a training facility for divers.
HQ 6527	Republic of Vietnam Navy	The monitor struck a mine and sank. Salvage operations by the Republic of Vietnam Navy and United States Navy completed on 15 April.[11]

9 April

List of shipwrecks: 9 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
London Valour	United Kingdom	The cargo ship was wrecked at Genoa, Italy with the loss of 13 lives.[14]

12 April

List of shipwrecks: 12 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Sierra Bravia	Spain	The coaster sank after a collision with Ruhr Ore ( Liberia) in the English Channel. Four of her thirteen crew were killed.[15]
K-8	Soviet Navy	The November-class submarine sank in the Bay of Biscay with the loss of 52 of her 125 crew.
Kalymnos	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground off Rhodes, constructive total loss.

13 April

List of shipwrecks: 13 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
La Jenelle	United States	Anchored outside the harbor at Port Hueneme, California, with a skeleton crew of two and no passengers aboard, the cruise ship was driven aground and wrecked during a storm. Her wreck later was gutted by fire, cut down to water level, and filled with rocks to form part of a breakwater.

19 April

List of shipwrecks: 19 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Enterprise	Canada	The fishing vessel foundered in the Cabot Strait during a storm.[16]

20 April

List of shipwrecks: 20 April 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Patrick Morris	Canada	The ferry foundered in the Cabot Strait while responding to a mayday call from Enterprise (above).[17]

May

8 May

List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Polycommander	Norway	The tanker ran aground at Vigo, Spain.[18]

16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1970

Ship	Country	Description
El Qaher	Egyptian Navy	War of Attrition: The Z-class destroyer was sunk by Israeli Air Force aircraft at Berenice, Egypt.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date May 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Tweedy	United States Navy	The decommissioned John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off Florida.

June

7 June

List of shipwrecks: 7 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Batissa	Argentina	The cargo ship collided with Italmotor ( Italy) in the Paraná River and caught fire. She was abandoned and later refloated and laid up. A proposed sale fell through and she was scrapped in 1977.[5]

9 June

List of shipwrecks: 9 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Thorland	Panama	The cargo ship suffered a catostraphic explosion in the Indian Ocean 400 miles off Mombasa, Kenya in which 9 men were killed. She was towed to Mombasa but refused entry and later en route to South Africa the bow half broke away and sank off Mozambique. The stern was beached at Porto Amelia. Declared a constructive total loss she was later acquired by Greek interests and towed to Japan where she was joined to the bow half of the Wafra and renamed Achillet.

11 June

List of shipwrecks: 11 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Gyatt	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gearing-class guided-missile destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off Virginia.

15 June

List of shipwrecks: 15 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Robertina	Panama	The cargo ship sprang a leak in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Palmas, Liberia. She was beached 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) west of Cape Garraway but declared a constructive total loss.[5]

17 June

List of shipwrecks: 17 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Waller	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off Rhode Island.

18 June

List of shipwrecks: 18 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Moray	United States Navy	The Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean off California.

19 June

List of shipwrecks: 19 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Tunny	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gato-class amphibious transport submarine was sunk as a target.

26 June

List of shipwrecks: 26 June 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Conway	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target.

July

1 July

List of shipwrecks: 1 July 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Ancona	Italy	The tanker suffered a rudder failure at Istanbul, Turkey and crashed into a six-storey building killing three people.[19]

12 July

List of shipwrecks: 12 July 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Marie Guillon	France	The yacht caught fire and exploded off Jersey, Channel Islands killing both crew, Félix Gaillard and Dominic Cirotteau.[20]

14 July

List of shipwrecks: 14 July 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Eastcliffe Hall	Canada	The cargo ship sank in the Saint Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, after striking an underwater abutment near Crysler Shoal. Nine crew members and members of their families were killed.

20 July

List of shipwrecks: 20 July 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Fulvia	Norway	The cruise liner sank in the Atlantic Ocean after catching fire the previous day 100 nautical miles (190 km) north of Tenerife, Spain. All 270 crew and 447 passengers were rescued by Ancerville ( France).[21]

21 July

List of shipwrecks: 21 July 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Seatrain Washington	United States	The Type T2 train ferry ran aground at Vung Tau, Vietnam. Salvage operations involved USS Bolster (ARS-38), USS Deliver and USS YLLC-5 ( United States Navy) and she was refloated on 29 July.[11]

August

1 August

List of shipwrecks: 1 August 1970

Ship	Country	Description
MV Christena	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Overloaded ferry sank in channel between St-Kitts and Nevis. 91 survivors of 300.[22]

8 August

List of shipwrecks: 8 August 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Segundo	United States Navy	The decommissioned Balao-class submarine was sunk as a torpedo target by either the submarine USS Sailfish or USS Salmon (both  United States Navy) (sources differ).

21 August

List of shipwrecks: 21 August 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Galétée	Marine Nationale	The Daphné-class submarine collided underwater with her classmate Maria van Riebeek ( South African Navy) off Toulon, killing six crew and injuring four others. She was beached at Cap Cepet.[23]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Cambria	United States	The tanker ran aground at Bandar Abbas, Iran and suffered extensive bottom damage.[24]
Manhattan	United States	The tanker ran aground off Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia.[24]

September

9 September

List of shipwrecks: 9 September 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Irving Whale	Canada	The barge, owned by J.D. Irving Ltd., sank in the center of the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. It was refloated in 1996 and is now in service under the name ATL 2701.
Moonlight	United Kingdom	The coaster foundered 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north of Chicken Rock, Isle of Man after her cargo shifted. Two of her crew were killed.[25]

16 September

List of shipwrecks: 16 September 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Fotini Tsavliris	Cyprus	The cargo ship ran aground in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands (53°25′N 5°00′E / 53.417°N 5.000°E). Refloated on 18 September. Subsequently towed to Greece and laid up. Scrapped in 1972.[5]

18 September

List of shipwrecks: 18 September 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Soley	United States Navy	The decommissioned Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean north of Puerto Rico at 19°30′N 065°38′W / 19.500°N 65.633°W.

23 September

List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Andre	Belgium	sank in the Waal after collision with Libia ( Netherlands). Raised on 7 October, repaired and returned to service.[26]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Aquarius	United States	The tanker was abandoned off Muscat, Oman following a collision with a Russian merchant ship.[24]

October

1 October

List of shipwrecks: 1 October 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Atlanta	United States Navy	The decommissioned Cleveland-class light cruiser was sunk during an explosives test in the Pacific Ocean off San Clemente Island.

20 October

List of shipwrecks: 20 October 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Västanvind	Sweden	The coaster was in collision with a whale and sank of the Canary Islands, Spain. All four crew rescued.[27]

23 October

List of shipwrecks: 23 October 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Pacific Glory	Liberia	The tanker collided with Allegro ( Liberia) off the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom and was set on fire. She was beached on a sandbank off the Isle of Wight.[28]

29 October

List of shipwrecks: 29 October 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Souris Trader	Canada	The coaster sank in the Gulf of St Lawrence following a fire.[29]

November

6 November

List of shipwrecks: 6 November 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Marlena	Liberia	The tanker ran aground off Syracuse, Sicily, Italy and caught fire. All 36 crew rescued and the fire was extinguished. The ship was refloated a week later.[30]

17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Ericsson	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gleaves-class destroyer was sunk as a target.

19 November

List of shipwrecks: 19 November 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Marites	Philippines	The heavy lift ship was driven aground in Manila Bay during Typhoon Patsy. She later was refloated and scrapped.
USS John W. Weeks	United States Navy	The decommissioned Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia at 37°10′54″N 073°45′36″W / 37.18167°N 73.76000°W.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1970

Ship	Country	Description
Erkowit	Sudan	The cargo ship was run aground at Corunna, Spain,[31] following a collision with Dortmund ( West Germany).[32]

December

3 December

List of shipwrecks: 3 December 1970

Ship	Country	Description
USS Bluegill	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gato-class submarine was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off Lahaina, Hawaii to serve as an underwater rescue training vessel. She was raised in November 1984 and sunk again in deep water.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1970

Ship	Country	Description
YTL-17	United States	The tug was sunk as an artificial reef in the Atlantic Ocean off Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, at approximately 34°02′N 077°52′W / 34.033°N 77.867°W.

References

1. "Safety Recommendation M-71-033". www.ntsb.gov. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
2. "Japanese inquiry into shipwrecks mystery" The Times (London). Wednesday, 11 February 1970. (17791), col A-B, p. 7.
3. "18 feared lost" The Times (London). Monday, 19 January 1970. (57771), col A, p. 1.
4. "Submarine stuck" The Times (London). Friday, 30 January 1970. (57781), col E, p. 1.
5. Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p. not cited. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
6. "http://people.stfx.ca/rsg/SRSF/GCIFA/ArrowSpill.html"
7. "Nova Scotia oil scare" The Times (London). Monday, 9 February 1970. (57789), col E-F, p. 4.
8. "10 feared lost as coaster capsizes" The Times (London). Saturday, 10 February 1970. (57788), col D-F, p. 1.
9. "29 missing as vessel sinks" The Times (London). Tuesday, 10 February 1970. (57790), col E, p. 1.
10. "Five drowned in shipwreck" The Times (London). Wednesday, 18 February 1970. (57797), col E, p. 6.
11. "Harbor Clearance Unit One, Calendar Year 1970, OPNAV Report 5750-1". Seastory. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
12. "Survivors back" The Times (London). Saturday, 18 April 1970. (57847), col E, p. 4.
13. "Picture Gallery" The Times (London). Saturday, 14 March 1970. (57818), col D-E, p. 2.
14. "Visiting wives die as storm sinks British ship" The Times (London). Friday, 10 April 1970. (58740), col D-G, p. 1.
15. "Ships sinks after collision" The Times (London). Monday, 13 April 1970. (57842), col D, p. 1.
16. "Enterprise - 1970". Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
17. "Patrick Morris - 1970". Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
18. "Tanker threatens Spanish beaches" The Times (London). Saturday, 9 May 1970. (578656), col D, p. 4.
19. "Tanker kills 3 on land" The Times (London). Thursday, 2 July 1970. (57907), col G, p. 6.
20. "Gaillard's body found in yacht wreckage" The Times (London). Monday, 13 July 1970. (57916), col A-B, p. 4.
21. "Captain watches as cruise liner sinks" The Times (London). Tuesday, 5 July 1970. (57923), col C-E, p. 5.
22. "Feature Film on Christina Disaster in Production".
23. "Submarine's crew saved by captain" The Times (London). Saturday, 21 August. (57951), col C-E, p. 1.
24. "Tanker mishaps may put oil prices up again" The Times (London). Saturday, 12 September 1970. (57969), col E-F, p. 5.
25. "Two drowned as coaster sinks in heavy seas" The Times (London). Thursday, 10 September 1970. (57967), col A-B, p. 2.
26. "Belgian Merchant A-G" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
27. "Survivors say a whale sank ship in Atlantic" The Times (London). Wednesday, 21 October 1970. (58002), col C, p. 7.
28. "Disturbing similarity with Torrey Canyon disaster" The Times (London). Monday, 26 October 1970. (58006), col A-G, p. 3.
29. "Souris Trader - 1970". Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
30. "Holed tanker freed after week on the rocks" The Times (London). Saturday, 14 November 1970. (58023), col F-G, p. 3.
31. "Corunna imposes ban on fishing" The Times (London). Tuesday, 17 November 1970. (58025), col F, p. 7.
32. "Tugboat captain accused of harbour pollution" The Times (London). Monday, 23 November 1970. (58030), col E, p. 25.

See also

Ship events in 1970
Ship launches:	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Ship commissionings:	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Ship decommissionings:	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Shipwrecks:	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975