10 Major Cruise Ships And Passenger Vessels That Sank

Table Of Content

• Download 13 FREE Maritime eBooks
• August 1991: MTS Oceanos
• How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History?
• Why you should get your cruise cabin serviced in the evening instead of the morning
• How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?
• Royal Caribbean Cruises, History, Destinations and Itineraries
• SS Morro Castle (September

Rescuers lined up on the Jersey Shore to meet the lifeboats carrying passengers. The next morning, the burning, black hull of the SS Morro Castle ran aground at Asbury Park, New Jersey. Of the 549 people aboard the cruise, 86 guests and 49 crew members died. Launched in 1903, the SS Eastland was a passenger ship based in Chicago and used for tours.

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The Saint-Philibert, a small cruise ship, capsized and sank on June 14, 1931, off the coast of France. This tragic event led to the loss of nearly 500 lives, with only 8 passengers surviving. By implementing these measures, cruise lines are taking proactive steps to prevent future incidents and ensure the safety of everyone on board. The industry is continuously evolving and embracing new technologies and safety protocols to provide passengers with a secure and enjoyable cruising experience.

August 1991: MTS Oceanos

No one died, but the captain and crew were found guilty of leaving without helping passengers. The captain and crew members panicked as there was nothing to be done. O t of the 500 people onboard, only 8 survived the horrific accident. T e violent storm forced passengers to take shelter near machinery casings, which tilted the ship to its starboard side and it ultimately capsized when struck by a gigantic wave. A small cruise ship sailing from Loire River, near the French coast, met with tragedy in June 1931.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History?

The Concordia was supposed to take passengers on a seven-day Italian cruise from Civitavecchia to Savona. But when it deviated from its planned path to sail closer to the island of Giglio, the ship struck a reef known as the Scole Rocks. The impact damaged the ship, allowing water to seep in and putting the 4,229 people on board in danger. Thankfully, when you think of the number of cruise ships launched into the water and currently sailing oceans, rivers, and great lakes all over the world cases like these are rare. Cruise ships have become much safer over the years and much less likely to ever sink.

The MV Explorer, originally the MS Lindblad Explorer, began her career in 1969 as the first ship of her kind to sail through the Antarctic Ocean. Before she could be towed to a scrapyard, her weakened hull began to take on water. A fire started in one of the luxury cabins due to a faulty light switch that sparked and set the wood paneling on fire. Before this disaster, the Saint-Philibert was known for offering summer voyages along the French coast. It had 14,191 gross tonnages, two steam engines, and propellors, providing a top sailing speed of 20 knots.

In addition to the rough seas, repairs to the ship's waste disposal system hadn't been completed, meaning that a vital ventilation pipe had not been replaced. It's believed that freak waves slammed into the ship, causing the pipe's shell to burst and fill the ship with seawater. Aleksander Suvorov has an overall length of 135.75m and width of 16.8m, and is comprised of four decks. It can accommodate 400 passengers and 83 crew, and runs on a 6CHRN36/45 (EG70 -5) diesel engine. RMS Lusitania was built by John Brown and Co. of Scotland and completed its maiden voyage in September 1907. The steamship was owned and operated by Cunard Company; a rival of White Star Line, which owned the Titanic.

MS Sea Diamond (

Coast Guard, Carnival Cruise ship rescue 12 sailors after boat capsizes off Dominican Republic - Fox Weather

Coast Guard, Carnival Cruise ship rescue 12 sailors after boat capsizes off Dominican Republic.

Posted: Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Of course, no one wants to be on a ship that sinks, so it’s important to do your research before booking a cruise. If you are concerned, check the ship’s safety record and ensure it meets all required safety standards. The Titanic is the most famous example of a cruise ship sinking, but it happened over 100 years ago. There have been no recorded instances of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship sinking. In the last 5 years since 2017, only one cruise ship has sunk, the Orient Queen, which was damaged in a port explosion in Lebanon.

The Costa Concordia struck an underwater rock, capsized, and sank, killing 32 passengers. A Coast Guard officer in contact with the ship at the time of the sinking claimed he told Schettino to get back onboard. After being convicted of manslaughter and pursuing several appeals, Schettino only started his 16-year prison sentence in May of 2017. The salvage effort (the ship was completely dismantled) was the largest effort of its kind.

SS Morro Castle (September

Passengers should also take care to avoid smoking in their staterooms and to properly dispose of cigarettes to avoid fire hazards. In addition to the bridge watch, there are many other safety procedures and protocols that the crew members must follow. For example, all crew members are required to undergo extensive safety training before they can work on a cruise ship. This training includes fire safety, first aid, and emergency procedures. The design of a cruise ship is complex and involves several factors that contribute to its overall safety.

The ship struck an iceberg, causing a fist-sized hole in the hull and leading to rapid flooding and the sinking of the ship. Despite the crew’s efforts to manage the situation, the damage was irreparable, and the decision was made to abandon ship. They waited for hours in the lifeboats until they were rescued by the Norwegian cruise ship MS Nordnorge.

In 1909, the ship entered service and sailed between Genoa and Buenos Aires. In October 1927, she sank off the coast of Brazil due to a propeller shaft that broke and damaged the ship's hull. Thankfully, there were minimal casualties, as mostly everyone onboard was able to escape on the 35 lifeboats that had been successfully launched. Still, though, about 30 people lost their lives during the sinking of the Britannic. On May 7, 1915, Lusitania was struck by torpedo sent by a German U-Boat while she was sailing off the coast of Ireland en route to Liverpool, England. The ship began to list quicker than expected, meaning that only six lifeboats could be launched.

Below the waterline, the Stockholm’s bow caused catastrophic damage by severing passenger compartments and stabbing into Andrea Doria’s side. Ten hours later, in excess of 200 feet of water, the mortally damaged Andrea Doria sank in spite of attempts to contain flooding. In 1932, the French passenger liner Georges Philippar caught fire and sank in the Gulf of Aden, killing fifty-four people. On May 16, during her inaugural journey off the coast of Italian Somaliland, Mme Valentin’s opulent cabin’s wood paneling caught fire due to a malfunctioning light switch. Early on May 29, 1914, in the thick fog, the ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland collided with another ship and sank in Canada’s St. Lawrence River. It is noteworthy that not all of these sinkings contained passengers or caused a sizable number of casualties.

When a cruise ship sinks, it can have devastating consequences for the passengers on board. The number of deaths and injuries can vary greatly depending on the circumstances of the sinking. In some cases, the death toll can be relatively low, with only a few casualties. Overall, while cruise ship stability is a critical factor in ship design and operation, incidents of capsizing or rolling over are rare. In August 2020, the Orient Queen, a cruise ship docked in Beirut, was destroyed by a massive explosion that rocked the city. It is important for passengers to pay attention during these briefings and to familiarize themselves with the ship's layout so that they can quickly and safely evacuate if necessary.

Almost all crew and passengers escaped safely, with two people unaccounted for. On October 22, 1961, when docked near the Grenada coast, an explosion occurred in the engine room. Thanks to the actions of the crew, improved communication technology, and the rapid response of nearby ships, 1,660 crew and passengers were rescued. While on her way to New York City, the Stockholm passenger liner collided with Andrea Doria, and the ship immediately started to list and take on water. Half of her lifeboats were underwater, which could have led to a significant loss of life, but the ship did not sink immediately. Have you ever thought about how many cruise ships have sunk in history?