List of shipwrecks in 1997

The list of shipwrecks in 1997 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1997.

table of contents

1997
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date

January

25 January

List of shipwrecks: 25 January 1997

Ship	Country	Description
USS Tolman	United States Navy	The decommissioned fast minelayer, formerly a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer, was sunk as a target.

February

27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1997

Ship	Country	Description
USS Picking	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target .

March

5 March

List of shipwrecks: 5 March 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Vikartindur	Germany	The container ship was beached on the south coast of Iceland. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped in situ.

26 March

List of shipwrecks: 26 March 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Cita	Antigua and Barbuda	Cita The cargo ship ran aground at Newfoundland Point, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. She subsequently sank. All seven crew were rescued.

28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Kateri i Radës	Albania	Tragedy of Otranto: The motorboat was in collision with Sibilia ( Marina Militare) in the Strait of Otranto. She capsized and sank with the loss of 83 lives

April

30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1997

Ship	Country	Description
La Fidèle	Marine Nationale	The La Prudente-class netlayer exploded and sank in the English Channel off Cherbourg, Seine-Maritime with the loss of five of her sixteen crew.[1]

May

4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1997

Ship	Country	Description
King Cruiser	Thailand	The ferry ran aground on the Anemone Reef, Andaman Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the Phi Phi Islands. All on board, in excess of 560 people, were rescued.

12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1997

Ship	Country	Description
USS Richard S. Edwards	United States Navy	The decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was sunk as a target in Pacific Ocean off Kauai, Hawaii.

July

2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Diamond Grace	Panama	The supertanker ran aground in Tokyo Bay 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Yokohama.[2]

22 July

List of shipwrecks: 22 July 1997

Ship	Country	Description
USS Stoddard	United States Navy	The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk in the Pacific Ocean 64 nautical miles (74 miles; 119 km) north-northwest of Kauai, Hawaii at 22°47′39.2″N 160°36′41″W / 22.794222°N 160.61139°W by explosive charges planted by SEAL Team One ( United States Navy).

August

2 August

List of shipwrecks: 2 August 1997

Ship	Country	Description
USS Southerland	United States Navy	The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a missile target in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 34°57′N 122°08′W / 34.950°N 122.133°W.

September

8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Fierté Gondávienne	Haiti	The sailing vessel sank in the Windward Passage with the loss of up to 400 lives.[3]

October

27 October

List of shipwrecks: 27 October 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Sand Kite	United Kingdom	The cargo ship struck one of the piers of the Thames Flood Barrier and sank. Later raised, repaired and returned to service.[4]

November

17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Constitution	United States	The ocean liner sank in the Pacific Ocean 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) north of Hawaii whilst under tow to the shipbreakers.

19 November

List of shipwrecks: 19 November 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Green Lily	Bahamas	The cargo ship ran aground at Bressay, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom after her engine failed in a storm. All fifteen crew were rescued by the Lerwick lifeboat and a helicopter, although the winchman of the helicopter was killed after his winchline had to be cut.[5]

December

14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1997

Ship	Country	Description
HMAS Swan	Royal Australian Navy	The decommissioned River-class destroyer escort was scuttled in the Indian Ocean approximately 1.3 nautical miles (1.5 miles; 2.4 km) from Point Picquet near Dunsborough, Western Australia, at 33°33′02″S 115°06′02″E / 33.55056°S 115.10056°E to serve as a recreational dive site.
The Living Christ	Haiti	The sailing ship sank off the Île de Gonâve with the loss of about 40 lives. There were fifteen survivors reported.[6]

30 December

List of shipwrecks: 30 December 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Merchant Patriot	United Kingdom	The ship sprang a leak in her engine room and was abandoned off the Bahamas. Declared a constructive total loss, she was towed to Freeport, Bahamas for scrapping.[7]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Catalina	United States	Catalina, June 2011 The passenger ferry foundered at Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.[8]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997

Ship	Country	Description
Anafi	nationality unknown	Carrying a cargo of coal, the ship caught fire in the Piraeus Roads, Greece and was abandoned.[9]
Christiana	Norway	The ketch foundered in the North Sea,[10] and sank at a depth of 500 metres off Mandal, Norway. Later raised and repaired.[11]
HMBS David Tucker	Royal Bahamas Defence Force	The decommissioned Cape-class patrol vessel was sunk as an artificial reef in the Bahamas.

References

1. Adam Sage (1 May 1997). "Two die as blast sinks French ship". The Times (65878). London. col A, p. 19.
2. Edwin Karmiol (3 July 1997). "100 ships battle oil disaster in Japan". The Times (65932). London. col E-H, p. 8.
3. David Adams (9 September 1997). "Fears of 400 dead in Haiti ferry sinking". The Times (65990). London. col A, p. 12.
4. Lane, Anthony (2009). Shipwrecks of Kent. Stroud: The History Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-7524-1720-2.
5. Shirley English (20 November 1997). "Helicopter winchman lost in storm". The Times (66052). London. col A-H, p. 3.
6. "Haitian shipwreck kills 40". The Times (66073). London. 15 December 1997. col G-H, p. 14.
7. "MARON". Clydesite. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
8. "SS Catalina (+1997)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
9. "Company's History". Loucas G Matsas. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
10. Simper, Robert (1998). River Medway and the Swale. Lavenham: Creekside Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 978-0951992777.
11. Knudsen, Reidar (2011), "RS 24 "Risør" 100 år - Dystert mysterium", Båtmagasinet (in Norwegian), 5, retrieved 24 May 2014

Ship events in 1997
Ship launches:	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Ship commissionings:	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Ship decommissionings:	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Shipwrecks:	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002