List of shipwrecks in 1963

The list of shipwrecks in 1963 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1963.

table of contents

1963
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Unknown date

January

8 January

List of shipwrecks: 8 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Nueva Guinea	Spain	The coaster exploded and sank off Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands. One crewmember reported missing and two injured.

12 January

List of shipwrecks: 12 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Marnipo	Lebanon	The Liberty ship ran aground in the Dardanelles and broke in two.

20 January

List of shipwrecks: 20 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Adelfotis II	Lebanon	The cargo ship was driven ashore at South Shields, County Durham, United Kingdom. All 23 crew were rescued by breeches buoy.
Orizia	Italy	The Liberty ship was driven ashore at Veracruz, Mexico and was abandoned by her crew. She was declared a constructive total loss.

23 January

List of shipwrecks: 23 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Coalinga Hills	United States	The T2 tanker ran aground off Tanegashima, Japan. She was on a voyage from Iran to Kudumatsu. Consequently scrapped due to damage sustained.

24 January

List of shipwrecks: 24 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Graziella	Italy	The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Tangier, Morocco.

31 January

List of shipwrecks: 31 January 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Crescence	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at Winterton, Norfolk.

February

4 February

List of shipwrecks: 4 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Marine Sulphur Queen	United States	The T2 tanker vanished off the southern coast of Florida after a routine radio report on this date. All 39 crew members were lost.

6 February

List of shipwrecks: 6 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Johan Collett	Norway	The cargo ship on route from Sardinia to Ghent with a cargo of zinc ore sank after the cargo shifted in a force 10 gale. 9 men were saved by the Guernsey R.N.L.I. lifeboat, earning their Gold Medal and also one from the Norwegian Lifeboat Institution.

11 February

List of shipwrecks: 11 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Flaksee	West Germany	The cargo ship collided with Canuck Trader (Canada) near the Varne Lightship ( Trinity House) and sank 9 nautical miles (17 km) off Folkestone, Kent.

15 February

List of shipwrecks: 15 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Maasdam	Netherlands	The ocean liner struck the wreck of Harborough (United Kingdom) at Bremen, West Germany and was holed. All 230 passengers and 276 crew rescued by Gotthilf Hagen (West Germany).

25 February

List of shipwrecks: 25 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Miraflores	Panama	The tanker collided with Abadesa in the Westerschelde, Netherlands. Both tankers caught fire. One crew and five reported missing from Miraflores. The tanker George Livanos (Panama) ran aground when taking avoiding action.
Aegli	Greece	The cargo ship sank in the Aegean Sea with the loss of all but one of her 22 crew.
An Unnamed ferry	Japan	The ferry collided with a cargo ship (Japan) off Kobe and sank. Of the 64 people on board, nineteen were rescued, seven killed and 38 were reported missing.

28 February

List of shipwrecks: 28 February 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Ilektra	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground on the Corncarhai Rock off Brest, France and sank. Sixteen crew took refuge on the rock and were rescued by helicopter. The captain was killed and two crew reported missing.

March

13 March

List of shipwrecks: 13 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Aghios Ioannis	Greece	The Liberty ship ran aground at Ōhara, Japan and broke in two.

18 March

List of shipwrecks: 18 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Protoklidos	Lebanon	The Liberty ship ran aground on the Portuguese coast. Subsequently refloated but sank in the Atlantic Ocean on 20 March north of Cabo Roca.

19 March

List of shipwrecks: 19 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Arctic Bear	Canada	The ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her two crew were rescued by Irving Birch (United States).

20 March

List of shipwrecks: 20 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Bear	United States	The barquentine sank 250 nautical miles (460 km) south of Nova Scotia, Canada after losing her tow. Both crew rescued.
Alkimos	Greece	The Liberty ship ran aground on the Australian coast 170 nautical miles (310 km) north of Fremantle. Refloated in January 1964.

24 March

List of shipwrecks: 24 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Northgate	United Kingdom	The cargo ship sank off Le Havre, France. All eight crew rescued by the Le Havre pilot boat.

27 March

List of shipwrecks: 27 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Bray	United States Navy	The decommissioned Rudderow-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target.

28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Valor	Panama	The cargo ship ran aground at Mukho, South Korea and was declared a constructive total loss.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date March 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Alkimos	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground on a reef in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia. She later was refloated and repaired.

April

1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Bulwark	South Africa	Ran aground at Danger Point, Cape Province and broke in two. A total loss.

10 April

List of shipwrecks: 10 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Thresher	United States Navy	The Thresher-class submarine broke up and sank with the loss of all 129 crew during deep diving tests in the Atlantic Ocean 190 nautical miles (350 km) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

12 April

List of shipwrecks: 12 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
K-33	Soviet Navy	The Hotel II-class ballistic missile submarine collided with the cargo ship MS Finnclipper (Finland) in the Kattegat. She was repaired and returned to service.

16 April

List of shipwrecks: 16 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Arctic Sealer	United Kingdom	The sealing ship sank off Newfoundland, Canada. All crew rescued by Arctic Endeavour (United Kingdom).

21 April

List of shipwrecks: 21 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Bernières	France	The Liberty ship ran aground at Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She was declared a constructive total loss and later scrapped.

24 April

List of shipwrecks: 24 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Cato	United Kingdom	The coaster collided with City of Brooklyn (United States) and sank at Bristol. Later raised and scrapped.

26 April

List of shipwrecks: 26 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Marine Progress	United States	The Liberty ship was driven ashore on the coast of Puerto Rico. She was refloated but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped.

29 April

List of shipwrecks: 29 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Cosmonaut	Soviet Union	The cargo ship ran aground off Copenhagen, Denmark on her maiden voyage and was holed.

30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Aghios Georgios II	Lebanon	The cargo ship caught fire off Eastbourne, East Sussex, United Kingdom. The crew were taken off and the ship was beached at Norman's Bay.

May

1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Yue Jin	China	The cargo ship struck a rock, and sank off Cheju Island, South Korea. All 55 crew rescued by the fishing boat Iki-maru (Japan).

5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Adel	Egypt	The ferry capsized and sank in the Nile near Karara in Sudan with the loss of 173 lives.

20 May

List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Bruce M	Lebanon	The cargo ship collided with Puerto de Castillon (Spain), which sank west of Jersey, Channel Islands. Bruce M rescued the crew of the other ship and made for Plymouth, Devon but started to take on water. Assistance was given by HMS Wakeful (Royal Navy).

22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Mparmpa Petros	Greece	Ran aground at Porto de Pedras, Brazil and was wrecked.

31 May

List of shipwrecks: 31 May 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Alkimos	Greece	The cargo ship ran aground 30 nautical miles (56 km) north of Perth, Western Australia following the loss of her tow.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Iona	United States Navy	The tug was sunk in an accident. Later raised and scrapped by burning.

June

2 June

List of shipwrecks: 2 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Lord Gladstone	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at Novorossiysk, Soviet Union. Later refloated with aid of Soviet ships.

5 June

List of shipwrecks: 5 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Seacrest	Liberia	The Liberty ship ran aground near Barcelona, Spain. She was later refloated and towed to Genoa, Italy where she was declared a constructive total loss.

7 June

List of shipwrecks: 7 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Seekonk	Canada	The tanker caught fire while pierside at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and suffered a series of explosions. She was towed away and grounded on Governors Island in Hillsborough Bay. After the fire burned itself out, she was refloated and scrapped.

13 June

List of shipwrecks: 13 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Carmen	Panama	The cargo ship collided with Sadikzade (Turkey) in the Strait of Dover and sank with the loss of two crew. Sadikzade then collided with Leandros (Greece), which in turn collided with Clyde Sergeant (United Kingdom). All three ships reached port safely.

18 June

List of shipwrecks: 18 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Agios Nektarios	Greece	caught fire in the Ionian Sea, taken in tow but sank near Patras, Greece.

19 June

List of shipwrecks: 19 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Gianni Zeta	Italy	The cargo liner collided with Fosna (Norway) and sank off Gibraltar. All nineteen crew and nine passengers saved.

26 June

List of shipwrecks: 26 June 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Fleurus	Canada	The circus ship caught fire at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. All people and animals saved except for some zebras. The wreck was scuttled in October 1963.

July

2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Netty	Netherlands	The coaster collided with Fina Canada (Italy) off Ramsgate, Kent and sank. All five crew rescued by Fina Canada.

8 July

List of shipwrecks: 8 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Patrician	United Kingdom	The cargo ship collided with Santa Emilia (United States) and sank off Gibraltar. Thirty-four of the 37 crew were rescued by Santa Emilia, with three reported as missing.

11 July

List of shipwrecks: 11 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Ciudad de Asuncion	Argentina	The ferry struck the wreck of Marionga J Cairns (flag unknown), caught fire and sank in the River Plate between Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay. At least 53 of the 420 people on board were killed.

14 July

List of shipwrecks: 14 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Hobart Star	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at Melbourne, Australia in a storm. Later refloated and returned to service.

15 July

List of shipwrecks: 15 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Bassurelle	France	The trawler was wrecked in the English Channel off Langton Matravers, Dorset, United Kingdom. Her five crew were rescued.
HMS Brave Swordsman	Royal Navy	The Brave-class fast patrol boat ran aground 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Later refloated and taken to Chatham Dockyard for examination.

17 July

List of shipwrecks: 17 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Trebisnjica	Yugoslavia	Trebisnjica, July 2010 The Liberty ship ran aground on Hogsty Reef, in the Bahamas (21°36′N 73°50′W).

21 July

List of shipwrecks: 21 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Tritonica	Bermuda	The bulk carrier collided with Roonagh Head (United Kingdom) and sank in the St Lawrence River 55 nautical miles (102 km) from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Thirty-three crew were killed.

24 July

List of shipwrecks: 24 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Aronda	China	The cargo ship ran aground at Macao after losing her tow in a typhoon whilst being towed to Hong Kong for scrapping.

25 July

List of shipwrecks: 25 July 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Blikur	Faroe Islands	The coaster struck an iceberg and sank off Greenland. All 35 crew saved by Poseidon (West Germany).

August

4 August

List of shipwrecks: 4 August 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Kastela	Yugoslavia	The Liberty ship sank in the Hudson Strait (63°39′N 77°20′W).

14 August

List of shipwrecks: 14 August 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Empire Grace	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground at Kanholmsfjärden, Sweden. Refloated on 26 August but declared a constructive total loss and consequently scrapped.
USS Queenfish	United States Navy	The decommissioned Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target by the submarine USS Swordfish (United States Navy).

September

4 September

List of shipwrecks: 4 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Archangelsk	Soviet Union	The cargo ship ran aground in fog in the Bosphorus, ramming a house and killing three people.

6 September

List of shipwrecks: 6 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Balao	United States Navy	The decommissioned Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target off the coast of northern Florida.

13 September

List of shipwrecks: 13 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Alacrity	United Kingdom	The coaster ran aground on the Cornish coast between Land's End and St Ives and was holed.

21 September

List of shipwrecks: 21 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Grouse	United States Navy	The minesweeper ran aground off Rockport, Massachusetts.

22 September

List of shipwrecks: 22 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Andes	United Kingdom	The ocean liner ran aground off Sicily, Italy but was refloated after three hours.

23 September

List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
USS Grouse	United States Navy	The minesweeper was destroyed by explosives after running aground off Rockport, Massachusetts, two days earlier.

24 September

List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Roland	West Germany	The coaster collided with Rio Quequen (Argentina) off Warnemünde and sank with the loss of one crewmember, two others reported missing.

October

1 October

List of shipwrecks: 1 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Esso Brussels	Belgium	The tanker collided with another ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

2 October

List of shipwrecks: 2 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Humbergate	United Kingdom	The coaster capsized and sank off West Pentire, Cornwall. All five crew survived.

8 October

List of shipwrecks: 8 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Manticos	Greece	Beached at 11°14′N 16°32′W after developing a leak.

14 October

List of shipwrecks: 14 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Island Cypress	Canada	The barge broke in two and sank off the mouth of the Quillayute River.

22 October

List of shipwrecks: 22 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Island Maple	Canada	The barge broke in two off Cape Flattery. The bow section sank, the stern section capsized and was scuttled.
Manticos	Greece	Sank after pumping operation failed and leak increased.

23 October

List of shipwrecks: 23 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Juan Ferrer	Spain	Capsized and sank near Boscawen Point, United Kingdom, with the loss of eleven of the fifteen crew.

24 October

List of shipwrecks: 24 October 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Theokotos	Panama	The Liberty ship collided with British Statesman (United Kingdom off Lisbon, Portugal. She was declared a constructive total loss.

November

13 November

List of shipwrecks: 13 November 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Woodburn	United Kingdom	The cargo ship ran aground off Singapore and was holed.

14 November

List of shipwrecks: 14 November 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Dynafuel	United States	The tanker collided with Fernview (Norway) at Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts. She sank on 15 November after the tow ships were separated.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Kilo	Netherlands	The cargo ship caught fire in the Bristol Channel. Her crew were rescued by the Mumbles Lifeboat.

December

8 December

List of shipwrecks: 8 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Fort Albany	Canada	Collided with ship in Saint Lawrence River and sank near Sorel, Quebec, Canada

14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Castillo Montjuich	Spain	last reported 400 nautical miles (740 km) north west of the Azores (43°12′N 34°20′W).

20 December

List of shipwrecks: 20 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Mary Pauline	Canada	The coaster foundered off Saint John's, Newfoundland with the loss of six of her seven crew.

21 December

List of shipwrecks: 21 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Douala	France	The coaster foundered off Point-aux-Basques, Newfoundland with the loss of at least seven crew.

22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Lakonia	Greece	The 20,314 ton passenger liner caught fire in the Atlantic ocean while sailing to the island of Madeira and was disabled; 128 fatalities.

24 December

List of shipwrecks: 24 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Amazon	Greece	The Liberty ship ran aground near Cape Bon, Tunisia (36°43′N 10°58′E). She was later refloated but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped.

25 December

List of shipwrecks: 25 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Mohammedi	India	The ocean liner ran aground 14 nautical miles (26 km) south of Singapore. HMS Barbain (Royal Navy) attempted to go to her aid but was ordered out of Indonesian territorial waters by Indonesian Navy gunboats. Her clearance to enter Indonesian waters not being accepted, she withdrew to international waters.

29 December

List of shipwrecks: 29 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Lakonia	Greece	After being disabled by a fire on 22 December, the abandoned 20,314 ton passenger liner sank in the Atlantic Ocean 230 nautical miles (265 miles; 426 km) southwest of Lisbon, Portugal, and 250 nautical miles (288 miles;463 km) west of Gibraltar while under tow.

31 December

List of shipwrecks: 31 December 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Esso Brussels	Belgium	Collided with another ship, towed to Antwerp for repairs.

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1963

Ship	Country	Description
Dunay	Soviet Navy	The full-rigged ship was destroyed by fire.
USAT Liberty	United States	The United States Army Transport, aground at Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia, since being torpedoed during World War II by the submarine I-166 (Imperial Japanese Navy) on 11 February 1942, slipped off the beach due to seismic tremors associated with the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung and sank.