The customs boat capsized in a collision with a smuggling vessel near Chek Lap Kok Island, north of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Three crewmen were trapped in the cabin. They were rescued alive by divers, but died at the hospital. Two crewmen on deck survived.[10]
The tanker sprung a leak and was abandoned in the Arabian Sea 185 nautical miles (343 km; 213 mi) south west of Karachi, Pakistan, and later sank. All 13 crew were picked up by a cargo ship in the area.[12]
While pushing two barges carrying sulfuric acid, the towing vessel sank after colliding with the towing vessel Cooperative Spirit (United States) on the Mississippi River in the vicinity of Mile Marker 123 near Luling, Louisiana. One of the barges suffered damage and leaked toxic vapor into the air. One member of RC Kreppel′s crew was rescued from the water; the other three were missing.[13][14]
Thirty-five small boats, houseboats, and pontoon boats were destroyed in a pre-dawn fire that swept across a dock at a marina on the Tennessee River in Scottsboro, Alabama. Some of the boats sank at their moorings, while others drifted into the river before sinking. Eight people were confirmed dead.[15]
With two people aboard, the sailboatcapsized on Fegen, a lake in southern Sweden, during a storm. One man on board washed ashore and subsequently died, and the other occupant was missing.[17]
The ore carrier suffered bow damage while leaving the terminal at Sao Luis, Brazil, developed a heavy list, and was run aground off Maranhão, Brazil, to prevent her from sinking.[21] Declared a constructive total loss, she was scuttled 90 nautical miles (170 km) off the coast of Brazil on 12 June.[22]
The coastal lighter was damaged in a collision with an unknown Kolkata Port Trust ship at Kolkata, India. An attempt to beach her to prevent sinking failed when current swept her off the bank and she sank in the Hooghly River.[30]
The ferry sank and capsized after it hit a rock whilst en route from Mumbai to Maharashtra India. All 88 passengers were rescued by civilian boats.[31]
The British-flagged tanker split into two off the southeast coast of Malta after taking on water in bad weather. Three crew were rescued by the AFM search and rescue launch Melita I.[36][37][38]
The cargo ship sank 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) southeast of Pingtan with five crew members aboard. All five crew members were rescued by the search and rescue ship Dong Hai Jiu 116 (China).[42]
The lighter struck a high-voltage power line tower and sank in the Hooghly River near the village of Namkhana, West Bengal, India. The crew was rescued.[48]
The 22-foot (6.7 m) or 27-foot (8.2 m) — sources disagree — fishing boatcapsized and threw her four occupants into the water in Reynolds Channel off Long Island, New York, near Point Lookout when several large waves struck her. Her captain died, and another man was missing. The other two men on board were rescued by a passing 68-foot (20.7 m) boat and survived.[54][55]
The cargo ship sank in shallow water the East China Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) east of Ningbo, China after a hull breach. Sank with bridge above water. 13 of 14 crew rescued by rescue ship Dong Hai Jiu 117 (China), 1 missing.[61]
The cargo ship sank after hitting an obstruction in the northern Persian Gulf South East of Umm Qasr, Iraq at a bridge construction site. Four crew rescued, five missing.[62]
Deemed unseaworthy and uneconomical to repair after running aground on 24 February, the very large ore carrier was scuttled in deep water in the Atlantic Ocean 150 kilometres (81 nmi; 93 mi) off Maranhão, Brazil. At the time she sank, she was the largest ship ever scuttled .[66][67][68]
With 50 passengers aboard, the ferry — a motorlaunch — capsized and sank in 20 seconds in 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 m) of water in the Buriganga River at Dhaka, Bangladesh, after the much larger motor ferry Moyur-2 (Bangladesh) accidentally rammed her from behind while Moyur-2 was reversing at high speed. At least 33 passengers and crew died. Rivshan Morning Bird was refloated on 30 June 2020.[73][74][75]
A fishing boat capsized near Pulau Perhentian, off the Bachok Coast in Malaysia. Of the eight on board, all were regarded as missing, but all eight crew have now been found dead. There were no survivors. The crew consisted of all Malays.[76][77]
The cargo ship sank in rough weather in the Malacca Strait near Jemur island in shallow water, upper works above water. Nine crew rescued by fishing boats.[78]
The fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with the bulk carrier Vinacomin Hanoi (Vietnam) in the South China Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) south east of Đà Nẵng, Vietnam. Her six crew were rescued by other fishing vessels.[80]
The mooring boat was sunk when propwash from two tugs assisting a tanker unmoor that she was also assisting slammed the boat into a pier at the Pajaritos Oil Terminal, Vera Cruz, Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Seven crew were rescued, two missing.[81]
The aggregate carrier drifted on to rocks and sank with upper works above water in shallow water off Masalembu Island the Java Sea in rough weather. Nine rescued, seven remained on board.[84]
The Japanese-owned bulk carrier ran aground on Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius and split in two by mid August. Her crew were evacuated safely. Due to rough seas, efforts to pump the 3,800 tonnes of bunker fuel and 200 tonnes of diesel failed, and by 7 August an oil-slick formed around the ship. There are fears that the oil will pollute the Pointe d'Esny Wetland and the Blue Bay Marine Park (both Ramsar sites).[85][86]
The sand carrier capsized and sank in the Taiwan Strait 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) south west of Penghu Island. Four crew killed, four missing, one rescued by Taiwanese search-and-rescue vessel.[87]
During a military exercise near Camp Pendleton, a U.S marine ARV carrying 15 troops, sank. 4 marines were rescued uninjured, 2 marines were rescued, 1 in critical, and 1 in stable. 8 other marines are missing, and 1 marine has been confirmed dead.[89]
The ferry capsized and sank in the Gulf of Siam off Ko Samui, Thailand. Nine crew were rescued, three remain missing. Her captain and probably three others drowned.[90][91]
The dinner/dance vessel capsized and sank at dock in Bangkok, Thailand after taking on water during a cruise on the Chao Phraya River causing a list to starboard.[92][91]
2020 Beirut explosions: The tugs were close to the site of the explosion. Baltagi 17 was repaired and returned to service but Baltagi 19 and Baltagi 20 were damaged beyond repair and scrapped.[93]
2020 Beirut explosions: The livestock carrier was close to the site of the explosion. Her AIS stopped broadcasting at the time of the explosion. The ship was later repaired and returned to service.[97]
2020 Beirut explosions: The cruise ship was severely damaged in the explosion. She capsized and sank the next day. Two crew were reported to have been killed.[97]
A distress call was received by the United States Coast Guard at 2pm PST from the 20-metre (66 ft) commercial fishing vessel. The vessel was operating 135 kilometres (84 mi; 73 nmi) off Cape Flattery, Washington. A helicopter was dispatched, which found one crewman aboard a lifeboat. The other two crew members were killed. The survivor was taken to Neah Bay, Washington.[101]
Typhoon Maysak: The livestock carrier reportedly lost power and capsized after being hit by a wave in the Sea of Japan. Two crewmembers were rescued, one body was recovered, and the other 41 crewmembers are missing, presumed lost. Six thousand cattle were lost in the sinking.[111]
A boat parade took place in support of Donald Trump's re-election campaign on Lake Travis in central Texas. The weather was calm, but the boats generated significant wake as they began to move together, which subsequently sank at least five boats.[112]
Hurricane Sally: The construction barge broke loose from her moorings, or dragged anchor, and was driven ashore partially sunk on Bayfront Parkway, Pensacola, Florida.[118]
Hurricane Sally: The replica of Columbus's ship went adrift after her dock broke up. Her anchor line later snapped causing her to go ashore in Pensacola Bay near the Maritime Park.[123]
Hurricane Sally: 22 construction barges, including those listed, broke loose from their moorings, or dragged anchor, and were driven ashore in parts of Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay.[118]
Wreckage was found near Murray Mouth after a distress call was sent from near Granite Island in South Australia. Tony Higgins was the only person on board and was declared missing.[126]
The dredger was driven aground in a storm off Cua Viet, Vietnam in the South China Sea. Two of the crew reached shore, two were swept away, but rescued, eight remained on board.[129]
The decommissioned cargo ship was pushed ashore in a storm off Thừa Thiên–Huế Province, Vietnam in the South China Sea north of Đà Nẵng after losing her tow while on the way to be scrapped. She broke in two, probably a total loss.[130]
The research vessel sprung a leak after striking a reef off Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean and sank. The crew and researchers made it to Gough Island.[137]
A boiler explosion was suffered by the oil tanker, owned by Palmali Shipping, a Turkish shipping company. The ship was en route from the port of Kavkaz to Rostov-Na-Don. The ship may have had temporary ownership by the Russian Federation. The boiler explosion injured 4 sailors, but 10 of the 13 on board, including the injured were evacuated. However, 3 of the 13 on board remain missing.[141][142]
A small boat carrying 19 migrants from Iran capsized because of poor weather conditions. Four people, a man, a woman, and two children, died. It was travelling near Dunkirk, France. It had been going from France to the UK, but was carrying migrants who had recently arrived in the UK from Iran.[144][145]
An unidentified boat carrying refugees from Senegal caught fire, capsized, and then sank off of Senegal and the Canary Islands. It was carrying at least 140 migrants. A rescue operation is underway by the navies and coast guards of Senegal and Spain. It is the deadliest shipwreck of 2020. So far, 140 people are presumed drowned.[149][150][151]
An unidentified boat carrying refugees sank near Ilha Makalowe, Mozambique. The boat was carrying 74 people. Out of the 74 people on the boat, 54 drowned.[152]
The decommissioned former cruise ship/accommodations vessel dragged anchor in a storm and went aground at Alvarado, Veracruz State, Mexico, in the Gulf of Mexico. Vessel abandoned and still aground as of December 2021.[153]
The tour boat, which was carrying 33 Russian tourists sank, after capsizing off the coast of Alanya. The Turkish Coast Guard intervened and took part in diving operations after the ship sunk. 32 of the 33 people on board, as well as the 5 Turkish Coast Guard members who got onto the boat as it was sinking to aid tourists were saved. However, there was one fatality.[154]
The fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with an unknown ship one mile (1.6 km) off Tyne Piers, Tynemouth, United Kingdom. Two crew were rescued.[156]
The fishing vessel was capsized and sunk in a collision, or close contact with cargo ship Cape Kallia (Cyprus) in the Indian Ocean 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) south east of Bali. Seven crew were rescued by Cape Kallia, four remain missing.[162]
The 24-foot (7.3 m) Tulalip fisheries vessel capsized around 8:30 PM PST off the coast of Jetty Island in Puget Sound. Two Tulalip Tribes police officers were thrown from the boat. The captain, Shawn Edge, was rescued by tribal fishermen near Hat Island, Washington, while the other officer, Charlie Cortez, is presumed dead. Cortez was the first Tulalip tribal police officer to die in the line of duty.[163]
The offshore supplytug capsized and sank near Petrobras P-48 Platform, Campos Basin, Brazil, in 250 metres (820 ft) of water, some 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) east of Cabo de Sao Tome, northeast of Rio de Janeiro. All 18 crew rescued.[165]
The container ship, aground near Batam, Indonesia, since 10 May 2020, was struck by Tina 1 (Cyprus). The stern of Shahraz suffered significant damage.[60]
The container ship was driven ashore near Batam, Indonesia, after striking the stern of the container ship Shahraz (Iran) which was already aground.[60]
A section of a container ship under construction at Kaohsiung Ship Yard, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, sank while being moved in the yard. Refloating is expected.[168]
The fishing vessel was sunk in a collision with cargo ship Hayato (Japan) off Kashima, Japan, north of Tokyo, Japan. All 12 on board rescued, but 1 later died.[169]
The unmanned gas drilling platform collapsed and sank in a storm in the northern Adriatic Sea 27 nautical miles (50 km; 31 mi) north west of Pula, Croatia. The wreck was located on 11 December.[172]
The cargo ship struck a reef off a small islet, or the islet itself, filled, and sank 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Phù Mỹ District, Bình Định Province, Vietnam in the South China Sea. All nine crew and two passengers were rescued.[173]
The container ship was sunk in a collision with the container ship Oceana (Antigua and Barbuda) in the Yangtze River Estuary. Eight crew were rescued, three killed, and five remain missing.[175]
Debris from the 15-metre (50 ft) fishing vessel that operated out of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia began washing ashore. The vessel had departed on 12 December from Yarmouth, fishing off the coast of Nova Scotia. Attempts to contact the vessel failed and the six-person crew were presumed dead.[177]
The out of service hopper dredge filled and sank at Batu Ampat, Indonesia in the Singapore Strait. The four maintenance crew on board were evacuated before she sank.[180]
17 December
List of shipwrecks: 17 December
Ship
State
Description
Unknown boat
unknown
A 5.4-metre (17 ft 9 in), fibreglass-hulled ghost ship washed ashore at Ailuk Atoll in the Marshall Islands. No crew was found, but the vessel was found to contain 649 kilograms (1,431 lb) of cocaine. The wreck occurred approximately one week prior to 17 December, but the discovery of the cargo was not made until 17 December. The boat was not flagged under any country, and may be from Central or South America, and may have been at sea up to two years before appearing at Ailuk.[181]
The cargo ship ran aground at Penglai, China in the Yellow Sea. Hull breached and engine room flooded, ship may be on the bottom. All 18 crew were air evacuated.[183]
The construction barge broke loose from her moorings, or mooring line cut on purpose, and drifted ashore in Pensacola Bay, at Gulf Breeze, Florida. The vessel was pulled off by tugs on 20 December.[184]
A boat capsized in Lake Albert along the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The vessel was carrying dozens of people and was pushed over by a "strong wind." At least 26 people drowned and 21 were rescued.[187]
The fishing trawler iced up and capsized during a snowstorm in the Barents Sea west of Yuzhniy Island in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Out of the 19 people on board 17 fishermen remain missing and two were rescued by a passing ship.[188][189]
The tanker ran aground off the Lough Foyle river mouth in Northern Ireland. No crew were injured or killed, and none are missing. The ship was refloated in less than a day after the initial incident.[190]
The cargo ship sprung a leak on 30 December, sinking the next day in Hangzhou Bay, south of Shanghai, China. Out of the 13 people on board 7 fishermen are still missing and 4 were rescued, 2 dead.[191]
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