List of shipwrecks in 1971

The list of shipwrecks in 1971 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1971.

table of contents

1971
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

January

7 January

List of shipwrecks: 7 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Kolno	Poland	Ran aground off Falsterbo, Sweden, withdrawn from service as a result and converted to a floating boilerhouse.
West Shore	Norway	The supply vessel foundered in the North Sea 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) off the Ocean Viking oil rig. All thirteen crew rescued.[1]

8 January

List of shipwrecks: 8 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Antilles	France	The ocean liner ran aground off Mustique, St Vincent and the Grenadines and caught fire when her fuel tanks ruptured. All passengers and crew took to the lifeboats and were rescued by Queen Elizabeth 2 ( United Kingdom).

11 January

List of shipwrecks: 11 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Texaco Caribbean	Peru	Collided with Paracas ( Panama), exploded, split in two and sank in the English Channel off Folkestone with the loss of at least eight lives.[2][3] Survivors were rescued by Bravagos ( Norway) and the fishing vessel Viking Warrior ( United Kingdom).[4]

12 January

List of shipwrecks: 12 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Brandenburg	West Germany	Struck wreck of Texaco Caribbean ( Peru) and sank with the loss of 21 lives.[2][3]

14 January

List of shipwrecks: 14 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Pasteur	Panama	Sank at 00°56′N 107°53′E / 0.933°N 107.883°E when on a voyage from Sibu, Sarawak to Singapore. Was well off the normal route at the time.

31 January

List of shipwrecks: 31 January 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Princess Margarethe	Denmark	The ferry ran aground off the Kullen Lighthouse, Sweden. All on board rescued by Kärmen ( Denmark).[5]

February

6 February

List of shipwrecks: 6 February 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Byzantium	Cyprus	caught fire at Gibraltar, bridge deck and accommodation gutted, repairs uneconomic and ship scrapped later in the year.

10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Aguedal	Italy	The cargo ship ran aground 15 nautical miles (28 km) off the coast of Libya.[6]

22 February

List of shipwrecks: 22 February 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Endeavour II	New Zealand	The three-masted auxiliary barque was driven ashore in Parengarenga Harbour, a few miles south of North Cape. She was en route to New Zealand from Australia, and after being becalmed encountered a gale on rounding North Cape and failed to make Houhora Harbour. The crew of 13 men and one woman landed safely, there were no fatalities. She was the first square-rigged sailing vessel wrecked on the New Zealand coast for more than 50 years. Endeavour II had taken part in the 1970 bi-centenary re-enactment of James Cook's landing at Botany Bay, Sydney on 29 April 1970.[7]

26 February

List of shipwrecks: 26 February 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Wafra	Liberia	The tanker ran aground at Cape Agulhas, Libya.[8]

27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Niki	Greece	Struck wreck of Texaco Caribbean ( Peru) and sank with the loss of all 22 crew.[2]
Esso Antwerp	Belgium	collided with Panachaikon ( Liberia) and sank in the River Scheldt. Later raised, repaired and returned to service.[9]

March

1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
USS Reuben James	United States Navy	The decommissioned Buckley-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target.

2 March

List of shipwrecks: 2 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Trinity Navigator	Sweden	The tanker ran aground off Berry Head, Devon, United Kingdom.[10]

4 March

List of shipwrecks: 4 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
USS Gregory	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was deliberately run aground on San Clemente Island off Southern California for use as a target.

12 March

List of shipwrecks: 12 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Wafra	Liberia	The tanker was towed out to sea and sunk by bombing from South African Air Force aircraft.[11]

29 March

List of shipwrecks: 29 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Texaco Oklahoma	United States	The tanker broke in two and foundered off North Carolina with the loss of 33 of her 44 crew.[12][13]

30 March

List of shipwrecks: 30 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Panther	Liberia	The tanker ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, off the coast of Kent, United Kingdom.[14] She was refloated on 4 April.[4]

31 March

List of shipwrecks: 31 March 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Christos	Liberia	Ran aground on Kandeliusa Island, Kos, Greece.

April

1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Christos	Liberia	Refloated, but developed leaks and sank at 36°32′N 26°57′E / 36.533°N 26.950°E

21 April

List of shipwrecks: 21 April 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Stork	Royal Navy	The Troubles: The survey launch, attached to the survey ship HMS Hecate ( Royal Navy), was towed out to sea, bombed, and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Baltimore, Ireland, by a Provisional Irish Republican Army unit.[15]

May

15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Herulv	Norway	The tanker was involved in a collision off the coast of Kent, United Kingdom and was holed.[16]

17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Ellinis	Greece	The ocean liner ran aground off Calshot, Hampshire, United Kingdom. She was refloated undamaged after two hours.[16]

June

1 June

List of shipwrecks: 1 June 1971

Ship	Country	Description
USS Bugara	United States Navy	The Balao-class submarine sank in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Flattery, Washington whilst under tow.

July

1 July

List of shipwrecks: 1 July 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Clyde Venture'	United Kingdom	The coastal tanker sank in the Rothesay Dock, Clydebank due to the actions of vandals.[17]
HMS Artemis	Royal Navy	The Amphion-class submarine foundered at her moorings at Gosport, Hampshire. Subsequently raised and sold for scrap.

4 July

List of shipwrecks: 4 July 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Naniward Abone	Indonesia	The cargo ship collided with Ocean Prime ( Liberia) and sank off Waikayama, Japan.[18]
Rakusui Maru	Japan	The coaster collided with another ship and sank off Waikayama with the loss of eight of her nine crew.[18]
Koyo Maru	Japan	The coaster collided with another ship and sank off Japan.[18]

5 July

List of shipwrecks: 5 July 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Ocean Glory	Liberia	The cargo ship sprang a leak and foundered in the Bay of Bengal. All crew rescued by Chilka ( United Kingdom).[18]

17 July

List of shipwrecks: 17 July 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Selamat	Singapore	Ran aground at Kalampunian Island, Borneo. Abandoned as a total loss.

August

5 August

List of shipwrecks: 5 August 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Mania	Liberia	Caught fire off Bari, Italy and abandoned. Beached at Split, Yugoslavia on 8 August. Scrapped in November 1971.[19]

17 August

List of shipwrecks: 17 August 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Red Sea	Hong Kong	Typhoon Rose: The cargo ship was driven ashore at Lanatu Island, Hong Kong. Refloated but scrapped the following month.[20]
USS Regulus	United States Navy	USS Regulus. Typhoon Rose: The Denebola-class stores ship was driven ashore at Kau-i-chau, Hong Kong. Subsequently declared a constructive total loss.

19 August

List of shipwrecks: 19 August 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Billy	Liberia	Typhoon Rose: The cargo ship was driven aground at Hong Kong. Declared a constructive total loss and sold for scrap.[19]
HAM 308[21]	Netherlands	The dredger collided with Polycastle ( Norway and sank in Jade Bight off Wilhelmshaven, West Germany with the loss of five crew and two other persons.[22][23]

30 August

List of shipwrecks: 30 August 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Bertha Denz	West Germany	The trawler was in collision with Achatina ( United Kingdom and sank 25 nautical miles (46 km) west of Heligoland. Two crew rescued by Achatina.[24]

September

4 September

List of shipwrecks: 4 September 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Ricardo Manuel	Panama	Cut in two by Zagora ( Morocco) and sunk at entrance to Casablanca harbour.

5 September

List of shipwrecks: 5 September 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Eleni	Greece	The cargo ship collided with Princess Ragnhild ( Norway). Declared uneconomic to repair, scrapped in April 1972 at Santander, Spain.

24 September

List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Teviotbank	United Kingdom	The Bank Line cargo ship was damaged by East Bengal guerrillas at Chalna, East Pakistan.[25]

29 September

List of shipwrecks: 29 September 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Apollo	Cyprus	Stranded 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Skije .[26]

October

14 October

List of shipwrecks: 14 October 1971

Ship	Country	Description
London Valour	United Kingdom	The bulk carrier had run aground and broken her back at Genoa in April 1970, but Smit Tak International had refloated the after portion on 12 October 1971 and was towing it to be scuttled on the Balearic Abyssal Plain. About 90 miles (78 nmi) out from Genoa the hulk sank in the early hours of 14 October.[27]

22 October

List of shipwrecks: 22 October 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Loch Seaforth	United Kingdom	The mailboat ran aground off Skye. All 26 passengers rescued, ship later refloated.[28]

30 October

List of shipwrecks: 30 October 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Nam Sanh	Vietnam	stranded in a typhoon at Chu Lai, Vietnam.

November

9 November

List of shipwrecks: 9 November 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Heythrop	United Kingdom	The OBO carrier exploded and caught fire 150 nautical miles (280 km) East London, South Africa. All on board were rescued by Showa Venture ( Liberia). The captain and five officers later reboarded the ship, which was towed by the tugs Arctic and Statesman to Port Elizabeth.[29] The ship was repaired and returned to service.[30]
Maori	France	The cargo ship sank 250 nautical miles (460 km) off the coast of Spain. There was only one survivor of her 39 crew.[29]

14 November

List of shipwrecks: 14 November 1971

Ship	Country	Description
USS Samuel B. Roberts	United States Navy	USS Samuel B. Roberts being sunk. The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean 195 nautical miles (224 miles; 361 km) north of Puerto Rico at 21°42.8′N 65°55.1′W / 21.7133°N 65.9183°W.

17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Elcano	Spain	The tanker sank off the Cape Verde Islands following an onboard explosion with the loss of four of her 35 crew.[31]

30 November

List of shipwrecks: 30 November 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Juliana	Liberia	The tanker ran aground off Niigata, Japan and broke in two.[32]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date November 1971

Ship	Country	Description
USS Roberts	United States Navy	The decommissioned Cannon-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target.

December

4 December

List of shipwrecks: 4 December 1971

Ship	Country	Description
PNS Khaibar	Pakistan Navy	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 - Operation Trident: The Battle-class destroyer was sunk in the Arabian Sea south of Karachi, Pakistan, by two SS-N-2 Styx missiles fired by the missile boat INS Nirgat. ( Indian Navy).
Venus Challenger		Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 - Operation Trident: The cargo ship was sunk in the Arabian Sea 26 nautical miles (30 miles; 48 km) south of Karachi, Pakistan, by an SS-N-2 Styx missile fired by the missile boat INS Nipat. ( Indian Navy).
PNS Muhafiz	Pakistan Navy	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 - Operation Trident: The Adjutant-class minesweeper was sunk in the Arabian Sea south of Karachi, Pakistan, by two SS-N-2 Styx missiles fired by the missile boat INS Veer. ( Indian Navy).
PNS Ghazi	Pakistan Navy	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971: The Tench-class submarine sank in the Bay of Bengal off Vishakapatnam, India, with the loss of her entire crew of 92.

9 December

List of shipwrecks: 9 December 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Gulf Star	Panama	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 - Operation Python: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk at Karachi, Pakistan.[33]
Harmattan	United Kingdom	Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 - Operation Python: The cargo ship was shelled at Karachi, Pakistan and set on fire. Seven crew were killed.[33]
INS Khukri	Indian Navy	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 : The Blackwood-class frigate was torpedoed and sunk in the Arabian Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) off Diu by PNS Hangor ( Pakistan Navy) with the loss of 194 of her crew.
Zoe	Greece	Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 - Operation Python: The tanker was shelled and set on fire at Karachi, Pakistan.[33]

19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Tralee Trader	Panama	The coaster foundered 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Land's End, United Kingdom. All crew rescued by the trawlwe Petronella ( Netherlands).[34]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1971

Ship	Country	Description
Venus Challenger	Liberia	Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Struck by a missile and sunk off Karachi, Pakistan with the loss of all hands.[35]

References

1. "13 are rescued as vessel founders in North Sea" The Times (London). Friday, 8 January 1971. (58067), col B-C, p. 3.
2. Lane, Anthony (2009). Shipwrecks of Kent. Stroud: The History Press. pp. 82–84. ISBN 978-0-7524-1720-2.
3. "International dispute on Channel Safety" The Times (London). Wednesday, 13 January 1971. (58071), col D, p. 1.
4. Bignell, Alan (2001). Kent Shipwrecks (Second ed.). Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 106–13. ISBN 1 85306 719 9.
5. "Picture Gallery" The Times (London). Monday, 1 February 1971. (58087), col B-D, p. 4.
6. "Acid ship in danger of exploding" The Times (London). Thursday, 11 February 1971. (58096), col A, p. 1.
7. New Zealand Shipwrecks 1795-1982 by CWN Ingram, page 437-8 (1984, Reed, Wellington) ISBN 0-589-01510-9
8. "Grounded tanker towed free" The Times (London). Tuesday, 9 March 1971. (58117), col C, p. 6.
9. "Belgian Merchant A-G" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
10. "Navy check ends pollution fear" The Times (London). Wednesday, 3 March 1971. (58112), col C, p. 3.
11. "Picture Gallery" The Times (London). Saturday, 13 March 1971. (58121), col D-F, p. 4.
12. "33 lost in tanker broken 'by one wave'" The Times (London). Tuesday, 30 March 1971. (58134), col E, p. 7.
13. "Marine Casualty Report:Structural Failure and Sinking of the Texaco Oklahoma off Cape Hatteras on 27 March 1971, with the loss of 31 lives" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. 26 July 1972. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
14. "Tanker aground off Kent" The Times (London). Wednesday, 31 March 1971. (58135), col F, p. 1.
15. debate, 28 April 1971
16. "Liner refloated after two hours on shingle bank" The Times (London). Monday, 17 May 1971. (58174), col D-E, p. 1.
17. "Vandals believed to have sunk ship" The Times (London). Friday, 2 July 1971. (58214), col E-F, p. 2.
18. "12 feared lost in series of collisions" The Times (London). Monday, 5 July 1971. (58216), col D, p. 6.
19. "Belgian Merchant H-O" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
20. 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.
21. HAM 308 in the German Wikipedia
22. "Hope abandoned for seamen trapped in wreck" The Times (London). Friday, 20 August 1971. (58255), col E, p. 5.
23. Hans-Jürgen Schmid; 70 Quadratmeter großes Loch in der Bordwand; in: Wilhelmshavener Zeitung, 17. September 2011, p. 10. (German)
24. "British tanker in North Sea collision" The Times (London). Tuesday, 31 August 1971. (58264), col D, p. 5.
25. "British ship holed in Pakistan port by East Bengal frogemen" The Times (London). Saturday, 25 September 1971. (58282), col A-B, p. 5.
26. "Belgian Merchant P-Z" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
27. Gatti, Carlo (April 2010). "The running aground and the shipwreck of the British cargo ship "London Valour"". Societa' Capitani e Macchinisti Navali – Camogli. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
28. "26 are taken off grounded ferry" The Times (London). Saturday, 23 October 1971. (58306), col C, p. 2.
29. "Captain reboards blazing tanker with five officers" The Times (London). Wednesday, 10 November 1971. (58321), col C, p. 7.
30. "Trident Tankers". Merchant Navy Officers. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
31. "Four missing as oil tanker sinks" The Times (London). Wednesday, 18 November 1971. (58327), col A, p. 8.
32. "Oil slick nears Japan as tanker splits" The Times (London). Thursday, 2 December 1971. (58340), col G, p. 8.
33. "British seamen killed in shelling" The Times (London). Friday, 10 December 1971. (58347), col B-D, p. 1.
34. "Ship sinks, tree hits bus, as gales sweep Britain" The Times (London). Monday, 20 December 1971. (58355), col A-D, p. 1.
35. "Lutine Bell rung for ship sunk off Karachi" The Times (London).

See also

Ship events in 1971
Ship launches:	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
Ship commissionings:	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
Ship decommissionings:	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
Shipwrecks:	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976

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