This is a list of shipwrecks located in or around North America, within the territorial waters of countries which for political purposes are considered a part of the North American continent, including Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the island nations of the Caribbean.
Bermuda ShipFlag Sunk date Notes CoordinatesAlertMarch 1877A fishing sloop that was wrecked on the northern reefs.ApolloFebruary 1890A schooner that was wrecked on the reefs en route to Nova Scotia.AvengerFebruary 1894A brigantine that was wrecked on Mills Breakers.Beaumaris Castle25 April 1873A cargo ship that ran aground on Mills Breakers and was abandoned after several unsuccessful salvage attempts.Blanch King2 December 1920A schooner that was wrecked on the southwest reefs.Caesar17 May 1818A brig that was wrecked on a reef en route from England to Baltimore.Caraquet25 June 1923A mail steamship that was wrecked on the northern barrier reef.HMS Cerberus21 February 1783A fifth-rate warship that was lost at Castle Harbour.Collector26 May 1823A schooner that was wrecked northeast of St. George's.Colonel William G. BallJune 1943A luxury yacht that was wrecked on Mills Breakers in severe weather.Constellation30 July 1942A schooner that was wrecked on a reef with a cargo of drugs, cement, and whiskey, an incident which inspired the novel and film The Deep.Cristobal Colon25 October 1936An ocean liner that ran aground on a reef, becoming Bermuda's largest shipwreck.Curlew17 March 1856A barquentine that was wrecked on the northern reefs.Darlington22 February 1886A steamship that was wrecked on the Western Reef.Eagle12 January 1659A merchantman that was wrecked on the northeast breakers.Elda20 June 1956A yacht that was wrecked close to the Eagle."Frenchman wreck"c. 1750An unidentified ship, wrecked around 1750; found in 1983.Hermes1984An American ship that was scuttled as a dive wreck one mile off shore.L'Herminie3 December 1838A frigate that was wrecked on a reef in rough weather.Hunters Galley11 January 1752A sloop that foundered in a series of storms and was wrecked on the rocks at Hogfish Cut.Iristo16 March 1937A Norwegian steamer also known as Aristo, that grounded after mistaking the Colon wreck for a ship still underway. She was recovered from the reef, but sank under tow the following day.Kate30 November 1878A British steamer that struck a reef and was run aground to prevent her from sinking.HMS Katherine4 April 1763A brigantine that was wrecked en route to Jamaica.King1984An American tug that was scuttled as the first intentionally created dive site in Bermuda.Lartington14 December 1879A cargo ship that ran aground near Western Blue Cut, after just five years of operation.Lord Amherst16 February 1778A British armed transport and hospital ship that was wrecked on the western reefs.Madiana10 February 1903A passenger steamer, formerly the Balmoral Castle, that struck a reef near Hamilton Harbour."Manilla wreck"An unidentified ship, wrecked mid-18th century.Mari Celeste13 September 1864An American Civil War blockade runner that struck a reef while being piloted by a Bermudian, and sank within eight minutes.Mark Antonio18 July 1777A Spanish privateer that was wrecked on the reefs, and discovered in the early 1960s.Minnie Breslauer1 January 1873A cargo ship that ran aground on the reefs, and although later recovered, sank en route to St. George's.Montana30 December 1863An American Civil War blockade runner that hit a reef off the north shore.Mussel7 February 1926A Bermudian fishing ketch that was wrecked on the western reefs.North Carolina1 January 1880A barque that was wrecked south of Gibs Hill Lighthouse.Pelinaion22 December 1940A Greek steamer that was wrecked off David's Head.Pollockshields1915A cargo ship, formerly the Herodot, that was wrecked near Elbow Beach.RamonaA Canadian yacht that was wrecked in 1967, refloated for salvaging, and re-sunk near the Royal Naval Dockyard.Richard P. Buck13 April 1889A cargo ship that caught fire and sank following a storm.San Antonio12 September 1621A Portuguese nao that was wrecked on the west reefs, and discovered in 1960.San Pedro1595–1596A 350-ton Spanish ship that was wrecked to the north of the main island, and discovered in 1951. Valuable treasures and artifacts have been raised, including a 32-ounce gold bar, two smaller gold bars, and an emerald-studded gold cross.Sea Venture25 July 1609An English ship that was deliberately grounded after taking damage in a storm, and subsequently broke up and sank.Taunton24 November 1920A Norwegian steamer that was wrecked on the northern reefs.Virginia Merchant26 March 1661A passenger and cargo ship that ran aground off Sonesta Beach.HMS Vixen1896A coastal defence ship that was scuttled as a blockship off Daniel's Head.WarwickNovember 1619An English cargo ship that was sunk in a gale in Castle Harbour.Wychwood14 August 1955An English steamer that ran aground off Gibs Hill Light. The ship was refloated but then abandoned at Five Fathom's Hole, and later blown up as a hazard to navigation.Zovetto13 February 1924A cargo ship, also known as Zovetta or Rita Zovetto, that ran aground off St. David's Light.
Canada
Cuba ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates3 July 1898An armored cruiser that was scuttled about offshore in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.3 July 1898A armored cruiser that was sunk in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. 2 June 1898A steamship that was sunk by Spanish cruisers in the harbor at Santiago de Cuba.3 July 1898An armored cruiser that was sunk in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.
Dominican Republic
ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates7 April 1978A freighter that ran aground and broke in two off the coast of Punta Cana.Originally a tourist mover that was to be sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Bayahibe, but sunk accidentally right in front of Dreams resort.December 2006Scuttled in the area of Juan Dolio at depths ranging from .25 August 1724A Spanish galleon that ran aground during a hurricane in Samaná Bay.DiomedesA French ship lost in the fierce maritime Battle of Palenque, in the 17th century, in Palenque, Bani.DolphinA fishing boat, and sister ship of the Hickory. It lies in El Portillo, Las Terrenas, and has served as an underwater base for rescue operations.Hickory1986A former US Coast Guard vessel, commanded by Captain Tracy Bowden for underwater exploration and rescue operations, the Hickory was sunk by Hurricane George while carrying 50 passengers. All survived. It is now a national park in La Caleta, Santo Domingo.ImperialeA French ship lost in the Battle of Palenque, in the 17th century, in Palenque, Bani.RP-14 LimonAn old tugboat long that rests in about of water very close to the Hickory in the same park. This ship was scuttled there for the same reason – to serve as a tourist attraction. The depth where this shipwreck lies varies from . The three propellers of this tugboat are still clearly visible.LondonSunk in the 17th century in Samaná Bay.Monte Cristi Pipe WreckThought to have been a merchant trader, probably sunk in the latter part of the 17th century. Named for the large number of clay smoking pipes it carried as cargo.24 August 1724A Spanish galleon sunk by a hurricane in Samaná Bay.Nuestra Señora de la Limpia y Pura Concepción, known as La Concepción1641This Spanish treasure ship built in 1620 was reportedly overloaded with silver bullion for its return journey to Spain as part of the 1641 treasure fleet. The fleet sailed from Havana on 20 September 1641 but was heavily hit by a hurricane nine days later. Concepción got separated from the main fleet and tried to make for Puerto Rico, but on October 31 foundered and sank on a sand bank north of Hispaniola, which is now called Silver Bank after this shipwreck.
First found by William Phips in 1687, his operation managed to salvage 34 tons of silver and other treasure. Back in England the expedition's revenue was assessed as £205,536.
In the 20th century it was the object of several known treasure hunting expeditions: A. Korganoff in 1952, Edwin Link in 1955, Falcon-Barker in 1962 and Cousteau in 1968, until finally being re-discovered by Burt Webber in 1978. More than 95,000 silver coins, Ming Dynasty ceramics, gold chains, and many other artifacts were salvaged at that time.An Indian merchant vessel captured on 30 January 1696 by William Kidd, who renamed it the Adventure Prize. Shortly before he was arrested for piracy, Kidd entrusted the ship to hired merchants, who sold off most of the goods, set fire to the ship, and absconded to Holland. The wreck was discovered in 2007 off the coast of Catalina Island.October 1782A French ship that took part in the blockade against Cornwallis and thus was instrumental in the American Revolutionary War; sunk in a battle against the British fleet. Found and positively identified by Tracy Bowden. Recovered October 2009 by Deep Blue Marine Inc.St. George1999Sunk as an artificial reef near La Romana.
Greenland ShipFlagSunk dateNotesCoordinates3 June 1944A weather ship that was scuttled at Cape Sussi, Shannon Island.30 January 1959A liner that struck an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage off the coast of Western Greenland17 June 1943A weather ship that was scuttled in Hansa Bay.1 September 1944A weather ship that was scuttled off Store Koldewey to prevent capture.
Guatemala ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates27 June 1954A cargo ship that was bombed and sunk off Puerto San José by the CIA, who were engineering a coup d'état in Guatemala.
Haiti ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates28 January 1946A celebrated Canadian racing schooner that foundered on a reef off Île à Vache.6 September 1902A cruiser that was scuttled to prevent capture while harboured at Gonaïves.3 January 1885A brigantine found in 1872 in the Atlantic Ocean, unmanned and under full sail, heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar. It was later deliberately run aground and burned in an insurance fraud attempt, off the western coast of Port-au-Prince.
Lesser Antilles
Aruba ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates10 May 1940A supply ship that was scuttled to prevent capture off Aruba.16 February 1942A lake tanker that was torpedoed by the , and later towed into a dry dock and cut in three. The fore and aft sections were joined together, and the middle section was sunk as a target.
Bonaire ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates12 September 1984A drug-smuggling ship that was seized by the authorities at Bonaire, then took on water and sank at harbour.
British Virgin Islands ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates23 May 1808A British frigate wrecked on Anegada's Horseshoe Reef.18 June 1783A British sloop that caught fire, foundered, and sank in Road Town's harbour.29 October 1867A British packet ship wrecked during a hurricane off the coast of Salt Island.
Grenada ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates24 October 1961A passenger ship that was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in 1944, before construction on the ship was completed. It sank for the second time near St. George's, following an explosion.
Martinique ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates13 December 1808An that ran aground off Martinique and was scuttled to prevent capture.
Saint Kitts and Nevis ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates1 August 1970A ferry boat that sank off St. Kitts.
Saint Lucia ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates21 February 2010A container ship that capsized off Saint Lucia.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates 8 January 1971An ocean liner that ran aground on a reef near the island of Mustique.
Trinidad and Tobago ShipFlag Sunk date Notes Coordinates UnknownFebruary 2024Oil tanker capsized. 19 February 1974An Empire F type coaster that sprung a leak and sank under tow off Port of Spain.
Mexico