Thelist of shipwrecks in January 1939 includesships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost duringJanuary 1939.
| January 1939 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 | Unknown date | ||||
| References | ||||||
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Anadolu |  Turkey | Thecargo ship ran aground in a storm atBender Eregli.[1] |
| Calchas |  United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground off the Kelsnor Lighthouse,Langeland, Denmark.[2] Refloated on 5 January but damaged and leaking.[3] |
| Galata | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1][3] |
| Ikbal | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1] Refloated on 8 January.[4] |
| Kaplan | Turkey | The cargo ship sank in a storm at Bender Eregli.[3][5] |
| Millet | Turkey | The cargo ship sank in a storm at Bender Eregli. Only two crew survived.[5] |
| Mete | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1][4] Refloated on 21 January.[6] |
| Nicolaos Nomicos |  Greece | The cargo ship sank in a storm at Bender Eregli.[3][5] She was refloated on 9 January.[7] |
| Sadan | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1][4] She was refloated on 18 January.[8] |
| Samsun | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[9] She was refloated on 26 January.[10] |
| Sumer | Turkey | The cargo ship sank in a storm at Bender Eregli. She was refloated on 9 January.[5][7] |
| Tan | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1][3] She was refloated on 6 January.[11] |
| Zonguldak | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in a storm at Bender Eregli.[1][4] She was refloated on 8 January.[7] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Galatea |  Norway | Thecargo ship was driven ashore onSaltholm,Copenhagen, Denmark.[9] She was refloated on 5 January.[3] |
| Mexico | Norway | Thetanker ran aground atDragør, Denmark.[9] |
| Tilda |  Finland | The cargo ship was driven ashore atSetúbal, Portugal.[9] She was refloated the next day after 350 tons of oil was discharged.[3][12] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Wawatam |  United States | Thetrain ferry ran aground on the North Graham Shoal in theStraits of Mackinac.[3] She was refloated on 9 January.[13] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne | United Kingdom | Thetanker ran aground atSpodsbjerg, Denmark. She was later refloated undamaged.[3] |
| Kyleclare | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship ran aground in theRiver Moy,County Mayo, Ireland.[3] She was refloated undamaged the next day.[11] |
| Shuntai Maru |  Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale atMuroran, Hokkaidō.[7] She was later refloated.[14] |
| Yubari Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Muroran.[7] She was later refloated.[14] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Authorpe |  Panama | Spanish Civil War: Thecargo ship was bombed and sunk atAlicante byNationalist aircraft. She was refloated in 1939 and seized by the Spanish Government. Subsequently repaired and returned to service asAlhucemas.[15] |
| V11 Francisco |  Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Yamahuzi Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground in theMiyako Islands.[11] She was refloated on 3 February.[16] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Helios |  Germany | Thecargo ship ran aground enteringPasajes Harbour, Portugal, and developed a leak.[4] |
| Hoegh Silvercrest | Norway | Thecargo liner ran aground at Montufar Point,San Bernardino Strait, Philippines.[4][17] The ship was later abandoned by her crew.[18] She broke up on 17 February.[19][20] |
| Jadarland | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground atOslo and was damaged.[4] |
| Pass of Ballater | United Kingdom | Thetanker ran aground atNantes,Loire-Inférieure, France.[4] She was refloated later that day but was found to be severely damaged.[7] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dido | Norway | Thecargo ship foundered in theNorth Sea 95 nautical miles (176 km) south west ofUtsire island with the loss of a crew member.[21] |
| Saint Nazaire |  France | The cargo ship ran aground offPauillac,Gironde.[4] She was later refloated.[7] |
| Thetis | Greece | The cargo ship ran aground in theMartín García Channel, Argentina.[4] She was refloated the next day.[7] |
| Tinda |  Netherlands | The cargo ship ran aground atAsnæs, Denmark.[4] She was refloated on 10 January having sustained some damage to her bottom.[13] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Berwindvale | United States | Thecargo ship ran aground in theKennebec River. She was later refloated with a damaged bottom.[18] |
| Llanover | United Kingdom | The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale atNiigata,Japan.[18] Refloated on 25 January.[10] |
| Waukegan | United States | The cargo ship collided with theSt George's Bridge over theChesapeake & Delaware Canal atSt. Georges, Delaware and demolished the bridge, blocking the canal.[13] Two people were killed.[18] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Severonia |  Estonia | Thecargo ship ran aground atTurku, Finland.[18] She was declared atotal loss.[14] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gretaston | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship ran aground atYavaros, Mexico.[22] She was later refloated undamaged.[23] |
| Herbert G. Wylie |  Venezuela | Thetanker exploded and sank at the Caripito San Juan river terminal while loading oil products.[24] |
| Trio | Finland | The cargo ship foundered offDen Helder,North Holland, Netherlands.[25] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cabo Cullera | Spain | Spanish Civil War: Thecargo ship was bombed and sunk atTarragona by Spanish Nationalist aircraft.[26] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cheribon Maru | Japan | Thecargo ship ran aground north ofCagayan,Sulu Islands, Philippines. Twelve passengers were taken off the next day byKamo Maru ( Japan).Cheribon Maru was later salvaged and returned to service.[23][27] |
| Conifer | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided withMonte Santo ( Italy) in theEnglish Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) off theSandette Lightship (France) and sank.[23] All nine crew were rescued byMonte Santo and landed atVlissingen,Zeeland, Netherlands.[14] |
| Elsie | Norway | The cargo ship suffered an explosion in her engine room. She came ashore atMandal and broke in three, with the midsection sinking.Elsie was declared a total loss. All sixteen crew survived.[23][28][29] |
| Wyvern | Norway | The cargo ship was driven ashore atPensacola, Florida, United States.[23] She was refloated later that day.[14] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cambay Star | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship foundered in theIndian Ocean (18°19′N70°40′E / 18.317°N 70.667°E /18.317; 70.667).[14] |
| Crisabelle Stephen | United Kingdom | The 120.2-foot (36.6 m), 220-ton steam trawler ran on theSea Stone of the Cruden Scares south ofPeterhead in fog and heavy seas. She came off the rock and was put under tow toAberdeen 14 miles (23 km) away. One and one-half hours later her skipper requested that she be beached but she rolled over and sank almost immediately, lost with all nine hands.[30][31] |
| Kashiwa Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground atAwomori.[14] |
| Orion | Finland | The cargo ship ran aground onHarmaja,Helsinki.[14] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Belbowrie | United Kingdom | The auxiliaryschooner was driven ashore atMaroubra Bay,New South Wales, Australia and was wrecked.[28] |
| Dudley Rose | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship ran aground in theRiver Thames atGrays Thurrock,Essex.[32] She was refloated the next day.[33] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Giove |  Regia Marina | Thetanker ran aground in the Rooka Channel,Shatt el Arab, Iraq.[8] She was refloated on 20 January after discharging 3,000 tons of oil.[34] |
| Herzogin Cecilie | Finland | Thebarque capsized and sank at Starehole Bay,Devon, United Kingdom. |
| Ulmus | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship caught fire offGibraltar (36°14′N6°58′W / 36.233°N 6.967°W /36.233; -6.967). Her crew were rescued and the ship was towed by Spanish Nationalist vessels toBarcelona. She was declared aconstructive total loss, but entered Italian service in 1946 asAlberto Gianpaolo.[15][35] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Jaguar | Norway | Thetanker broke in two at approximately35°N46°W / 35°N 46°W /35; -46. All 37 crew were rescued byDuala (Norway).[36] Stern section reported afloat on 30 January at35°00′N39°49′W / 35.000°N 39.817°W /35.000; -39.817.[37] Reported on 7 February at35°25′N31°44′W / 35.417°N 31.733°W /35.417; -31.733.[38] The stern section was taken in tow byThames (Netherlands) on 11 February. Reported to be heading forHorta, Azores, Portugal,[39] which was reached on 14 February with assistance fromSeefalke ( Germany).[40] The stern section departed Horta under tow forRotterdam, Netherlands on 22 February,[41] where it arrived on 11 March.[42] |
| Laura Annie Barnes | United Kingdom | Theschooner ran aground in theNantucket Sound, United States.[34] |
| V14 Rafael | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Esbjörn | Finland | Thecargo ship ran aground at Lyngsodde,Fredericia, Denmark. She was refloated later that day.[6] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Koidula | Estonia | Thecargo ship ran aground in theUruguay River, Uruguay.[6] She was refloated on 27 January after 1,700 tons of cargo was discharged.[43] |
| Pacific Grove | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground atGuayaquil, Ecuador.[6] |
| V17 Juan Lucena | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Wilston | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Wicca Pool,Zennor, Cornwall with the loss of all 30 crew.[44][45][46][47] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cabourg | France | Thecargo ship reported passingOuessant,Finistère whilst on a voyage fromGhent,East Flanders, Belgium toMarseille,Bouches-du-Rhône. No further trace, presumed foundered as the bodies of two crew members were later washed up.[48][49] |
| Mado | Netherlands | The cargo ship ran aground enteringMargate Harbour,Kent, United Kingdom.[6] She was refloated the next day.[50] |
| Silverash | United Kingdom | The cargo ship caught fire and sank atNew York, United States.[51] She was later refloated, and departed under tow on 23 April forSunderland, Co Durham.[52]Silverash arrived on 18 May.[53] Subsequently repaired and returned to service.[54] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| African Mariner | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: Thecargo ship was bombed and sunk atBarcelona by Nationalist aircraft. Two crew were killed.[55] She was refloated on 18 April 1939 and seized by the Spanish Government, repaired and returned to service asCastillo Montjuich.[56] |
| Argentina | Spain | Spanish Civil War: Thepassenger ship was bombed and sunk at Barcelona.[57] She was refloated on 8 September and laid up.Argentina was scrapped in 1945.[58] |
| C17 | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: TheC1-class motor launch was bombed and sunk at Barcelona.[59] |
| John and Sara Eliza Stych |  Royal National Lifeboat Institution | TheSt Ives lifeboat launched to go to the aid of a steamship offCape Cornwall. She capsized three times; off Clodgy Point,The Island andGodrevy Point. Only one crew member survived.[60] |
| Lobos | United Kingdom | The passenger ship collided withViriglio ( Italy) offCallao, Peru and was beached.[61] She was later refloated.Lobos arrived atLima on 17 February.[62] |
| Nida |  Lithuania | The cargo ship was driven ashore atChristiansø, Denmark. She was refloated later that day.[61] |
| Riga | Estonia | The cargo ship was driven ashore on Christiansø.[50] |
| Sulev | Estonia | The cargo ship ran aground atNantes,Loire-Inférieure, France.[50] |
| Thorpebay | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was attacked and severely damaged by aircraft at Barcelona.[63] |
| Uruguay | Spain | Spanish Civil War: The passenger ship was bombed and sunk at Barcelona by Nationalist aircraft. She was refloated on 27 July and scrapped in 1940.[64] |
| V16 Maria | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Itanagé |  Brazil | Thecargo ship ran aground atVitória, sprang a leak and was beached.[61] |
| Miocene | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and sunk atBarcelona by Nationalist aircraft. Refloated in 1940, confiscated by the Spanish Government but scrapped in 1944.[15] |
| Nueve Pepe Leston |  Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: Theminesweeper was sunk bymines.[65] |
| St. Clair Theriault | United Kingdom | Theschooner caught fire and was abandoned in theAtlantic Ocean (47°47′N6°55′W / 47.783°N 6.917°W /47.783; -6.917).[61] |
| Vassos | Greece | Thetanker ran aground atLyserort, Latvia.[61] She was refloated on 26 January.[66] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Azelma | France | Spanish Civil War: Thecargo ship was bombed and sunk atSant Feliu de Guíxols by Nationalist aircraft. She was refloated in 1940, confiscated by the Spanish Government and returned to service asCastillo Javier.[15] |
| Colonel Ralston | United Kingdom | The cargo ship came ashore atAnnapolis, Maryland, United States and was a total loss.[67] |
| Kaiapoi | Panama | The cargo ship struck rocks and sank inWenchow Bay, China (28°16′N121°38′E / 28.267°N 121.633°E /28.267; 121.633). All crew were rescued.[10] |
| Supetar |  Yugoslavia | The cargo ship ran aground atKaradeniz Ereğli, Turkey. She was refloated later that day.[10] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aspen | United Kingdom | Thecoaster ran aground at the entrance toHolyhead Harbour,Anglesey.[10] |
| Fueloil | United States | Thetanker ran aground onShooters Island,New York.[10] She was refloated later that day.[66] |
| Monturiol | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Yolande | France | Spanish Civil War: Thecargo ship was bombed and sunk at Barcelona by Nationalist aircraft.[15] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Foynes | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: Thetanker was bombed and damaged atValencia. She capsized and sank the next day.[43] She was refloated on 23 November, repaired and entered Spanish service asCastillo Riaza.[68] |
| Kamikaze Maru | Japan | Thecoastal tanker capsized and sank offKushiro.[66] |
| Shun Chih | United Kingdom | Thecargo ship ran aground atSwatow, China.[66] She was refloated undamaged the next day.[43] |
| Suzy | Greece | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and severely damaged at Valencia.[43] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Lugano | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The steamship, already abandoned and beached in the bay ofPalamós after being damaged by air attack on 6 August 1938, was shelled and wrecked by theSpanish Nationalist auxiliary cruiserMar Negro ( Spanish Navy) at41°50′49.90″N03°07′08.85″E / 41.8471944°N 3.1191250°E /41.8471944; 3.1191250.[69][70] |
| Virgil G. Bogue | United States | Thetug collided withPoint Lobos (United States) in theOakland Estuary,California and sank.[43] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| V12 Adela | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Garryvale | Finland | Thecargo ship ran aground in theNorth Sea off the mouth of theRiver Tees. Her crew survived. She was refloated and consequently scrapped.[71] |
| Julie | United Kingdom | Thesailing ship was abandoned in a sinking condition 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south east of theEddystone Lighthouse,Cornwall. Her crew were rescued by the trawlerRoger Robert ( Belgium).[37] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Askot | Norway | Thecargo ship ran aground offFoundiougne,French West Africa.[72] She was refloated the next day.[73] |
| Ohio | United States | The tug collided withEsso Belgium (Belgium) atNew Orleans, Louisiana and was beached.[74] |
| Robur VIII |  Poland | The cargo ship ran aground north of theTerschelling Lighthouse,Friesland, Netherlands. She was refloated the next day.[73] |
| Ship | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Besos | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost sometime in January. |
| Crisabelle Stephen | United Kingdom | Thefishing vessel ran aground and sank.[75] |
| HMSMedea |  United Kingdom | TheM15-classmonitor, parted her tow on her way to the breaker's yard and was driven ashore atTrebetherick Point,Cornwall orPadstow, Cornwall and was wrecked on 23 or 28 January.[76][50] |
| V24 Teresa | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost sometime in January. |