List of shipwrecks in February 1939

The list of shipwrecks in February 1939 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during February 1939.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

1 February

List of shipwrecks: 1 February 1939
Ship State Description
Iron Warrior  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground at Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia.[1]
Thode Fagelund  Norway The cargo ship ran aground at Concepción del Uruguay, Argentina.[1]

2 February

List of shipwrecks: 2 February 1939
Ship State Description
I-63  Imperial Japanese Navy The Kaidai-type submarine collided with the submarine I-60 ( Imperial Japanese Navy) in the Bungo Strait off Kyushu, Japan, and sank with the loss of 81 of her 87 crew members.[2][3][4][5] She was refloated in January 1940 and scrapped.[6]
Northton  United Kingdom The cargo ship sank at Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.[7]
Washington  United States The dredger caught fire and sank at New York.[7]

3 February

List of shipwrecks: 3 February 1939
Ship State Description
Avala  Yugoslavia The cargo ship ran aground 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Cape Agulhas, Union of South Africa and sank.[8] Declared a total loss.[9]
Lutzen Canada Canada The coaster, a former Navarin-class minesweeper, ran aground off Nauset Beach, Massachusetts with the loss of a crew member.[7] She capsized in a storm on 7 February and broke up.[10][11]
Montrolite  United Kingdom The tanker ran aground in the Indo Channel, Argentina.[12] She was refloated on 5 February.[9]

5 February

List of shipwrecks: 5 February 1939
Ship State Description
Glenmaroon  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground in the Seine at Aizier, Eure, France. She was refloated the next day.[9]
Mitra  Norway The tanker came ashore 12 nautical miles (22 km) west of Tallinn, Estonia.[12] She was later refloated.[9]
Mylla  Norway The tanker ran aground at Kastrup, Denmark.[12] She was refloated on 8 February.[13]

6 February

List of shipwrecks: 6 February 1939
Ship State Description
Authorpe Spain Nationalist Spain Spanish Civil War: The nationalist government owned trawler, a former Admiralty naval trawler, was accidentally sunk by Nationalist aircraft at Alicante. She was raised, repaired and returned to service.
Leverkusen  Germany The passenger ship ran aground on the Saratoga Spit, off the coast of Japan.[14]

7 February

List of shipwrecks: 7 February 1939
Ship State Description
Rashin Maru  Japan The cargo ship ran aground at Hongay, French Indo-China.[15] She was refloated about a month later.[16]

8 February

List of shipwrecks: 8 February 1939
Ship State Description
Katina Bulgari  Greece The cargo ship collided with Meanticut ( United States) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of the Humber Lightship ( Trinity House) (53°35′28″N 0°31′20″E / 53.59111°N 0.52222°E / 53.59111; 0.52222). The wreck was subsequently dispersed by explosives.[17]
Maria de Larrinaga  United Kingdom The cargo ship issued a mayday in the Atlantic Ocean (42°30′N 46°00′W / 42.500°N 46.000°W / 42.500; -46.000).[10] Wreckage was spotted the next day by Aurania ( United Kingdom) at 42°27′N 45°49′W / 42.450°N 45.817°W / 42.450; -45.817. All 37 or 38 crew were lost.[18][19][20]
Pluto  Finland The cargo ship ran aground off Dragør, Denmark.[10] She was refloated on 10 February after discharging 100 tons of cargo.[15]
HMAS Swordsman  Royal Australian Navy The S-class destroyer was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of New South Wales.[21]

9 February

List of shipwrecks: 9 February 1939
Ship State Description
Aghios Nicolaos  Greece The cargo ship ran aground of the Punta Bianca Lighthouse, Grossa Islan, Yugoslavia.[15] She was refloated on 14 February.[22]
Apollo  Finland The cargo ship ran aground on Møn, Denmark.[13] She was refloated on 11 February.[23]
Corio  United Kingdom The cargo ship was scuttled off Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia.[24]
Damanski  Greece The cargo ship ran aground at "Stylis".[13]
Dronningen  Denmark The passenger ship ran aground in fog at Arendal, Norway.[13]
Elsa Croy  Estonia The schooner came ashore north of Rønne, Denmark.[13] She was refloated on 19 February.[25]
Fonix  Norway The cargo ship ran aground at Fedje and sank. All of her crew were rescued.[13]
Glückauf  Germany The collier collided with the wreck of Katina Bulgari ( Greece) in the North Sea (54°36′06″N 0°31′05″E / 54.60167°N 0.51806°E / 54.60167; 0.51806) and sank. All nineteen crew were rescued by Rhea ( Finland).[13][26]
Kaupanger  Norway The cargo ship ran aground in the Guadiana 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) downstream of Pomerão, Portugal.[13] She was refloated undamaged on 16 February.[27]

10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1939
Ship State Description
Chuy Brazil Brazil The cargo ship ran aground at Bahia.[15] She was later refloated.[23]
Egeran  Germany The cargo ship passed the Elbe Lighthouse on a voyage from Hamburg to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. No further trace.[28]
Lightburne  United States The tanker ran aground in dense fog at Old Harbour Point, on the coast of Block Island off Rhode Island, 0.25 miles (0.4 km) southeast of Block Island Southeast Light. She broke in two, and sank in up to 30 feet (9.1 m) of water (41°08′58″N 071°32′54″W / 41.14944°N 71.54833°W / 41.14944; -71.54833 (Lightburne)). All 37 crew and a dog on board were rescued by the cutter USCGC Active ( United States Coast Guard).[23][29][30]
Monocacy  United States The decommissioned gunboat was scuttled off the coast of China.

11 February

List of shipwrecks: 11 February 1939
Ship State Description
Basil Blackett  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground of a reef off Nassau, Bahamas.[23] She was declared a total loss.[22]
Maltran  United States The Design 1012 cargo ship ran aground in the James River.[23] She was refloated the next day.[31]

12 February

List of shipwrecks: 12 February 1939
Ship State Description
Baltabor  United Kingdom The cargo liner ran aground 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Liepāja, Latvia.[23] She was refloated on 21 June, but grounded again.[32]
Eduard Geiss  Germany The cargo ship ran aground off Kołobrzeg, Poland.[23]

13 February

List of shipwrecks: 13 February 1939
Ship State Description
Agnew  United Kingdom The dredger ran aground at Devonport, Tasmania, Australia.[31] She was declared a total loss and sold for scrap.[33]
Naviedale  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground off the Longman Beacon, Inverness-shire.[31] She was refloated on 15 February.[22]
Saiko Maru  Japan The cargo ship collided with Binna ( Norway) at Moji and sank.[31]

14 February

List of shipwrecks: 14 February 1939
Ship State Description
Koningsdiep  Netherlands The cargo ship ran aground at Cape Arkona, Germany.[33] Her cargo of bricks was jettisoned. She was refloated on 23 February and towed to Stralsund for assessment. She was found to be severely damaged.[34]

15 February

List of shipwrecks: 15 February 1939
Ship State Description
Topdalsfjord  Norway The cargo ship ran aground in Hjeltefjorden and was severely damaged.[22]

16 February

List of shipwrecks: 16 February 1939
Ship State Description
Arnfinn Jarl  Norway The cargo ship ran aground in Sørfjorden, near Bergen and was severely damaged.[27] She was later refloated and towed to Bergen for repairs.[25]
Kaipara  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran agrount at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and sprang a leak. She was drydocked for repairs.[35]

17 February

List of shipwrecks: 17 February 1939
Ship State Description
Albion  Norway The cargo ship ran aground off the Stavnes Lighthouse and was severely damaged. She was beached at Kristiansund, one crew member was killed.[35]
Gertrude Jean  United Kingdom The schooner was crushed by pack ice at Hickman's Harbor, Newfoundland and sank.[35] She was declared a total loss.[36]
Rossmore  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground at Hayle, Cornwall.[35] She was refloated the next day.[25]
Wiborg  Germany The coaster collided with City of Bremen ( United Kingdom) in the Osterems in dense fog and sank. All twelve crew were rescued by City of Bremen.[35]

18 February

List of shipwrecks: 18 February 1939
Ship State Description
Kongeaa  Denmark The cargo ship ran aground off Dragør.[36] She was refloated the next day.[25]
Moreton Bay  United Kingdom The passenger ship ran aground in the Suez Roads, Egypt. She was later refloated undamaged.[36]
Moyalla  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground at Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland.[36]
Nasu Maru  Japan The salvage ship ran aground on one of the Ryukyu Islands.[25]
Provençal 8  France The tug capsized and sank at Algiers, Algeria whilst assisting Oceania ( Italy).[citation needed]
Taurus  Finland The cargo ship sprang a leak 18 nautical miles (33 km) east north east of the Borkum Lightship ( Germany). She was later beached.[36] Taurus was subsequently refloated and taken to Cuxhaven, Germany for repairs.[25]

20 February

List of shipwrecks: 20 February 1939
Ship State Description
Alfa  Estonia The cargo ship ran aground west of Arensburg.[25] Refloated on 10 March after part of the cargo was jettisoned and towed to Tallinn.[37] She was consequently scrapped.[38]
Beaverhill  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Partridge Island, New Brunswick, Canada and was damaged. Taken to Saint John for repairs.[25]
Changri  United States The schooner came ashore at San Felipe Key, Cuba.[25]
Kaiyoku Maru  Japan The cargo ship ran aground and foundered east of Port Hamilton, Korea (34°03′N 127°24′E / 34.050°N 127.400°E / 34.050; 127.400). She was on a voyage from Karatsu to Tsingtao, China.[39][40]

21 February

List of shipwrecks: 21 February 1939
Ship State Description
Daniel M.  United Kingdom The coaster ran aground at the entrance to Margate Harbour, Kent.[41]

22 February

List of shipwrecks: 22 February 1939
Ship State Description
HMS L21 The L-class submarine ran aground on the Isle of Arran, Bute whilst under tow to the breakers. She was refloated on 24 February.[42]
HMS Sterlet  Royal Navy The S-class submarine ran aground off Sandown, Isle of Wight in a gale. She was later refloated.[43]
HMS Sunfish  Royal Navy The S-class submarine ran aground off Sandown in a gale. She was later refloated.[43]

23 February

List of shipwrecks: 23 February 1939
Ship State Description
Stangrove  United Kingdom Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship had been shelled off Cap de Creus and captured by the Spanish Nationalist gunboat Dato ( Spanish Navy) on 5 February. She was wrecked in a gale whilst in custody at Palma de Mallorca. The ship was refloated, confiscated by the Spanish Government and returned to service as Castilla del Oro.[44][45]

24 February

List of shipwrecks: 24 February 1939
Ship State Description
Diana  Germany The cargo ship came ashore at Palma de Mallorca, Spain.[46] She had been refloated by 11 March.[37]

25 February

List of shipwrecks: 25 February 1939
Ship State Description
Loulis  Greece Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank off Cap de Creus, Spain.[44]
Mercurius  Sweden The cargo ship ran aground at Sjkelskør, Denmark. She was refloated the next day and sailed to Korsør for examination.[34]
Norden  Germany The cargo ship ran aground at Korsør. Refloated the next day and entered Korsør for examination.[34] Consequently declared a total loss.[47]

26 February

List of shipwrecks: 26 February 1939
Ship State Description
Lillian  United States The cargo ship collided with Wiegand ( Germany) in foggy conditions off the Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey, and was abandoned. She floated for twelve hours but sank just as the crew were preparing to re-board her in an attempt at salvage.[48][49][50]
Nadja  United Kingdom World War II: The concrete barge was scuttled as a blockship in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands just north of Clio I ( United Kingdom).[51]
Lillian  United States The cargo ship collided with Wiegland ( Germany) off the Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey. Lillian sank the next day (40°01′N 73°31′W / 40.017°N 73.517°W / 40.017; -73.517). The wreck was subsequently removed.[52]

27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1939
Ship State Description
Swan  United States The towing vessel was wrecked on Tugidak Island, in the Kodiak Archipelago, Territory of Alaska. Both people on board survived.[53]

28 February

List of shipwrecks: 28 February 1939
Ship State Description
Naja  United Kingdom The Admiralty-requisitioned concrete barge was scuttled as a blockship in Water Sound, Scapa Flow.[54][55]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1939
Ship State Description
Lucky  United Kingdom Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was sunk in an air raid at Valencia, Spain. She was refloated on 21 April.[56]

References

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  2. ^ "Japanese Submarine Sunk". The Times. No. 48221. London. 4 February 1939. col B, p. 11.
  3. ^ "81 Lives Lost In Sunken Submarine". The Times. No. 48223. London. 7 February 1939. col B, p. 14.
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