Introduction
Imagine setting sail on a luxurious cruise ship, ready to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The salty sea breeze in your hair, the sun glistening on the horizon, and the promise of adventure on the high seas.
For many of us, a cruise vacation represents the epitome of leisure and luxury. However, lurking beneath the surface of this perfect image is a fascinating and, at times, unsettling history of cruise ships that have met an unfortunate fate.
Don’t worry, it’s an extremely unusual incident, and even if it does occur, this era’s safety systems ensure that most, if not all, passengers and crew are entirely safe.
While cruising is considered one of the safest modes of travel, the chronicles of maritime history are sprinkled with stories of shipwrecks, lost treasures, and unsolved enigmas.
Has a cruise ship ever gone down?
You would love to know that thankfully, very few cruise ships have actually sunk in modern history. Today’s cruise ships are designed to endure severe weather.
Furthermore, cruise lines actively monitor the weather in order to avoid storms wherever feasible. Having said that, you’ve probably wondered how many cruise ships have sunk at some point.
If river cruise ships and ocean liners are included, around 20 or more cruise ships have sunk over our recent 100 years of history.
We will be looking at some of the incidences and to your surprise, almost over 2,000 people have died in these occurrences, with ships sinking before 1940 accounting for more than half of the deaths. Many of the occurrences resulted in no deaths.
Let’s check out the list of sunken masters of the waters.
1. April 1912, Titanic
The Titanic’s sinking became a headline not for its cinematic adaptation but stands out as one of the deadliest as it accounted for over 1500 deaths.
On her maiden voyage across the Atlantic, she collided with an iceberg that resulted in a tragic incident. The deadliest maritime tragedy was caused by to insufficient number of lifeboats for the passengers.
In addition, there was a limited chance of survival for those without lifeboats in the waters where the ship went down. This haunting story taught a lesson emphasizing the value of safety precautions when sailing.
2. May 1914, Empress of Ireland
Two years after the Titanic’s tragic sinking, a similar incident happened in May 1914. The ship called Empress of Ireland with 1500 passengers, collided with the Norwegian ship Storstad. Despite sighting each other, dense fog made it worse for them.
1,012 passengers and crew members died in this horrific tragedy, and the Empress of Ireland was sadly only four journeys away from making its 1,000 successful voyages.
The story of this ill-fated liner serves as a reminder of the dangers and uncertainties that travelers and sailors can encounter on the high seas.
3. May 1915, Lusitania
The Lusitania, a cruise ship launched by Cunard Line in 1906, once held the prestigious title of the world’s largest passenger ship. However, its fate took a tragic turn during World War I.
For nine successful years, the Lusitania completed 201 transatlantic journeys. Yet, on its 202nd voyage from New York to Liverpool, disaster struck when a German U-boat torpedoed the ship off the southern coast of Ireland.
The ferocity of the explosion and the rapid tilting of the ship allowed for only six lifeboats to be launched. As a result, 1,198 passengers and crew members lost their lives, while 764 fortunate individuals managed to survive.
The sinking of the Lusitania remains a black chapter in maritime history, a poignant reminder of the perils faced during wartime travel on the high seas.
4. November 1916, Britannic
Originally intended to be a passenger ship, the Britannic, one of the Olympic Class ocean liners operated by White Star Line, was converted into a hospital ship during World War I.
A German naval mine in the Kea Channel caused tragedy in November 1916, as the ship sank in under 55 minutes. About thirty people were casualties, although most passengers got out alive.
5. October 1927, Principessa Mafalda
Built in 1909 and named for Princess Mafalda of Savoy, the Italian cruise ship Principessa Mafalda suffered tragedy in 1927.
The ship sustained structural damage when it sank while traveling between Argentina and Italy as a result of a major propeller shaft failure. Sadly, 314 of the 1,252 passengers and crew members who were involved in the tragedy died.
6. June 1931, Saint-Philibert
In 1931, tragedy struck when a tiny cruise ship collapsed and drowned off the coast of France, killing nearly 500 people and leaving only eight survivors. The ship ran summertime cruises along the French coast before the catastrophe.
The accident was caused by a number of things, including overloading the aircraft with twice as many people on board as was planned and extremely inclement weather.
7. May 1932, Georges Philippar
A modern French ocean liner tragically sank on its inaugural voyage because of an electrical problem. Faulty high-voltage wiring and a broken light switch caused a fire that killed 54 people.
To avoid delays in construction, quality concerns about the vessel were ignored. Improved onboard electrical safety measures were put in place after the event, including installing more dependable circuit breakers and switching to a different current type.
8. 1934, SS Morro Castle
The SS Morro Castle was launched in 1930 and was designed especially to make regular sailings between the US and Cuba.
However, due to a tragic incident in 1934, the ship sank due to a fire caused by the electrical cables and hydraulic lines used for steering the ship.
In this accident,137 people lost their lives and the crew was blamed who handling the emergency badly.
9. October 1940, Empress of Britain
Two phases of the great ocean liner Empress of Britain’s death occurred during World War II. After being attacked from above on October 26, German U-boats sunk it on October 28.
Thankfully, 416 crew members, 2 gunners, and 205 passengers—the majority of the passengers and personnel—all safely escaped the vessel. Still, 45 people lost their lives in the catastrophe.
10. July 1956, Andrea Doria
Even though it was tragic, the Andrea Doria accident brought to light important improvements in ship safety since the Titanic accident. It listed on one side after hitting Stockholm, making it more difficult to approach the lifeboat.
But as the ship sank gradually, the crew was able to use their improved communication and rescue skills to save 1,660 passengers and crew members. The next day’s sinking was not the cause of the casualties; rather, it was the collision.
11. October 1961, Bianca C
Because the Bianca C sank twice, it has a special place in nautical history. During World War II, German soldiers destroyed the passenger ferry that it was originally intended for.
Following its salvage, Costa Line—the forerunner of Costa Cruises—refurbished it and gave it the new name Bianca C.
But calamity struck again in 1961, this time due to an explosion in the engine room that caused it to sink again. Thankfully, everyone on board survived the incident save for one crew member.
12. 1979 September, Angelina Lauro
With a storied past, the Angelina Lauro began service as a passenger ferry in 1939 and later became a hospital ship during World War II. It was reborn as a cruise ship in 1972.
But tragedy struck in 1979 when it caught fire in Saint Thomas port, while Costa Lines was in charge. Days passed with no casualties, but the ship was declared irreparable. Then, on the way to a scrapyard, it capsized fatally.
13. February 1986, MS Mikhail Lermentov
In 1982, the large ship MS Mikhail Lermentov, which was owned by the Soviet Union’s Baltic Shipping Company, became a cruise liner.
Tragic events occurred in 1986 while on a two-week exploration cruise from Sydney to Cape Jackson, which is close to Wellington.
Not about twenty minutes after the last passenger was saved, the ship completely sank, despite the quick response that saw the majority of the 372 passengers and 348 crew members evacuate into lifeboats. Pavel Zagladimov was sadly the only crew member to die in the tragedy.
14. August 1986, SS Admiral Nakhimov
The ship’s incredible history includes three separate sinkings! It was submerged and eventually came into the possession of the Soviet Union after being used by the Nazis as a hospital ship during the war.
The ship sank again in spite of attempts to raise it, only to rise again. 423 of the 1,234 people on board perished in the collision with a freighter that occurred in 1986 while it was conducting cruises in the Black Sea.
15. August 1991, MTS Oceanos
Three years after the MV Jupiter catastrophe, which claimed four lives, the Greek ship MTS Oceanos met her awful end in 1991.
The ship sank as a result of excessive water entering the vessel from suddenly big waves breaking a badly fitted pipe. Thankfully, all 581 passengers and the crew made it out alive.
The entertainers warned and helped guests to safety, however, the captain and a few other crew members were judged to be at fault for leaving the ship.
16. December 1994, Achille Lauro
Before joining MSC Cruises, the MS Achille Lauro was originally ordered by a Dutch business. The trip was turbulent and filled with catastrophes like fire, explosions, and hijacking.
Tragically, it caught fire and sank off the coast of Somalia on December 2, 1994. Two people lost their lives during the evacuation, which involved 979 passengers and crew members.
17. May 1999, Sun Vista
Before changing her name to Sun Vista in 1997, the ship was operated by Celebrity Cruises for seven years under the name SS Galileo Galilei.
Two years later, tragically, an engine room fire caused it to sink, leaving all power disconnected.
Thankfully, all 1,090 passengers and crew members disembarked safely and without incident thanks to contemporary safety requirements.
18. October 2000, Britanis
In 2000, the British transferred ownership of the vessel from Chandris Lines to AG Belofin Investments with the goal of dismantling it in India.
But as it traveled, it started to listen and absorb water. The only option was to let it capsize and sink off the coast of Cape Town since there was no personnel on board to deal with the problem.
19. 2000, SeaBreeze
The SeaBreeze was launched in 1958 and is owned by Costa Cruises primarily. Later the ownership was transferred to Premier Cruises in 1983.
In the year 2000, the ship sank due to the breaking off boiler that caused sufficient damage to sink the ship.
As per reports, it is believed that it was an intentional incident to claim for insurance money and had received $20 million as compensation. When the ship sank, only 34 crew members were on board and all were rescued.
20. April 2007, MS Sea Diamond
After twenty years of service, the MS Sea Diamond—originally ordered by Birka Line as the Birka Princess—was transferred to Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines. But catastrophe struck in 2007 when it became stuck on the rocks of Santorini.
Even though it was later found that incomplete charts had contributed to the tragedy, the captain still had to deal with the fallout.
Although more than 1,000 passengers and crew members were amazingly saved, the loss of two French passengers—who are believed to be dead—remains a sobering reminder of the human cost of the ordeal.
21. 2007, MV Explorer
The MV Explorer was a small cruise ship launched in 1969 and had many owners till her last date. in her life, launching first in 1969.
She became the first cruise ship specifically that went across the Antarctic Ocean. Unfortunately, it also became the first ship to sink there.
In 2007, it collided with an iceberg, and 91 passengers, 54 crew, and 9 expert guides had to take lifeboats to save their lives. After five hours of the nightmare, everyone was rescued by the MS Nordnorge.
22. January 2012, Costa Concordia
Frequently compared to its historical forerunner, the Titanic, the Costa Concordia represents a contemporary symbol of maritime catastrophe.
After the ship sank because it sailed too close to Tuscany, 34 people died—passengers, crew, and members of the salvage team—out of the 4,252 people that were on board, the majority of them were more than 3,200 passengers.
The captain, Francesco Schettino, was found guilty and sentenced to sixteen years in prison for the fatal incident.
23. June 2015, Eastern Star
A Chinese river cruise ship called “Dongfang Zhi Xing” operated on its usual course down the Yangtze River until an unfortunate incident occurred in 2015.
It was destroyed by a strong storm while traveling from Nanjing to Chongqing, foundering in shallow water that was just 15 meters deep.
Only 12 of the 456 people on board made it through the ordeal; the remaining 442 passengers and crew perished. The passengers, who were mostly old, faced immediate disaster when the ship quickly capsized.
Better severe weather communication procedures were consequently put in place for river excursions, and the Chinese government found that 43 people were held accountable for management carelessness.
24. February 2016, Ocean Dream
There is nothing like the history of the Ocean Dream. Norwegian Cruise Line had originally ordered the Seaward, but due to building issues, the purchase was canceled.
The ship was later purchased by P&O, who renamed it the Spirit of London. It sailed the world under different names and ownerships.
It finally met its demise in 2016, drowning in Thailand following a year of abandonment. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident.
25. August 2020, Orient Queen
The Abou Merhi Group in Lebanon owned the Orient Queen, which sailed from Beirut to explore the enchanted eastern Mediterranean, including stops in Turkey and Greece.
Sadly, in 2020, the ship sank while parked in port due to a massive explosion caused by ammonium nitrate that rocked the port.
Sadly, the event claimed the lives of two crew members. Orient Queen was the only cruise liner to sink, however, several other vessels in the port suffered damage.
Set out on an elegant cruise journey, where you are set for amazing adventures as the sun shines down on the horizon and the ocean breeze tousles your hair.
Although cruising is associated with the epitome of luxury and leisure, it has an intriguing and often unsettling past.
Modern safety precautions guarantee the safety of both passengers and crew, even in the rare event of an accident.
Maritime mythology abounds with stories of shipwrecks, missing wealth, and mysteries, even though cruises are still one of the safest modes of transportation.
For those of you who may have been scared about setting foot on a cruise ship, take heart. The numbers reveal that ship sinkings are exceedingly uncommon, and robust safety measures stand as stalwart protectors.
With these reassurances, you’re now free to embark on a splendid cruise holiday without a worry in sight.
FAQ’s
Q1. What is the probability of a cruise ship sinking?
Ans – The probability of a sinking ship is very low. In the last 50 years, 11 cruise ships sank while on a voyage. It is neither easy nor accurate to predict this condition.
Q2. What is the reason behind cruise ships not sinking?
Ans – The way these ships are built they are meant to remain upright and the inbuilt ballast tanks protect the ship from sinking.
The advanced navigation systems and safety mechanisms, along with expert and trained crew have made the journey on the cruise safe and fear-free.
