The 198-gross register ton, 113.5-foot (34.6 m) or 130-foot (39.6 m) landing craft ran aground and sank near King Cove, Alaska, with the loss of two lives. The fishing vesselSeven Seas (United States) rescued her two survivors.[13]
The minelayer ran aground off Toftøya, Norway and was damaged. Subsequently repaired and returned to service.[16]
15 March[]
List of shipwrecks: 15 March 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Liberia
The tanker struck ice in the Cabot Strait which fractured her hull. She subsequently broke in two during a gale. Her crew were rescued by CCGS Sir William Alexander (Canadian Coast Guard). The bow section was sunk on 1 April by HMCS Margaree (Maritime Command); the stern section was towed to a European port where a new bow was constructed. She was returned to service.[17]
The vessel caught fire at Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands and sank. Refloated on 2 July.
April[]
7 April[]
List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1979
Ship
Country
Description
City of Seattle
United States
The 84-foot (25.6 m) crab fishing-fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) south of Yakutat, Alaska. The United States Coast Guard rescued everyone on board.[18]
18 April[]
List of shipwrecks: 18 April 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Joann
United States
The 86-foot (26.2 m) vessel sank off Alaska. The vessel Yankee Clipper (United States) rescued her crew.[19]
The 80-foot (24.4 m) crab-fishing vessel sank in 27 feet (8.2 m) of water while docked in the small boat harbor at Kodiak, Alaska, pulling some of the dock under with her. She was refloated and scuttled at sea on 13 June.[18]
26 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Pillar Cape
United States
While returning from Togiak to Cold Bay, Alaska, the 32-foot (9.8 m) seiner sank off Cold Bay.[1]
June[]
12 June[]
List of shipwrecks: 12 June 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Restless C
United States
The 52-foot (15.8 m) fishing vessel capsized and sank in Hallo Bay on the south coast of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska, perhaps after colliding with another vessel. Two of her four crewmen were lost; the other two were rescued by the vessel Awtam (United States)[12]
The bulk carrier disappeared in the Arabian Sea about 500 nautical miles (930 km) west of Margao, India, after sending a final radio message on this date.
A total of 25 yachts were sunk in Force 11 winds with the loss of 15 lives.
26 August[]
List of shipwrecks: 26 August 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Quebecois
Canada
The lake freighter ran aground on a mud bank at the entrance to Lake St. Clair due to an electronic malfunction. The vessel was freed after nine hours without suffering significant damage.[30]
27 August[]
List of shipwrecks: 27 August 1979
Ship
Country
Description
United Kingdom
The Troubles: The fishing boat was destroyed off Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA. Lord Mountbatten of Burma and three other people died in the blast.[31]
September[]
6 September[]
List of shipwrecks: 6 September 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Scotia Bay
Canada
The ship capsized and sank while overladen, after hauling in a large load of fish. The crew survived.[32]
14 September[]
List of shipwrecks: 14 September 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Yakutat
United States
The barge dragged her anchor in the , was swamped, and sank north of the river and west of Cape Yakataga, Alaska. Two men on board were swept overboard and died; a 15-year-old girl survived by clinging to wreckage in the water all night and swimming to shore in the morning.[33]
19 September[]
List of shipwrecks: 19 September 1927
Ship
Country
Description
Norway
The roll-on/roll-off cargo ship capsized in stormy weather in the Sognefjord and drifted ashore at Byrknesøyna, Norway. Of the nine-man crew, five were lost, while four were rescued by local boats.[34][35][36]
The Delfinen-classsubmarine capsized at Copenhagen. Subsequently repaired and returned to service.[16]
23 September[]
List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Transilvania
Romania
The passenger ship, built at the shipyard Burmeister & Wein in 1938, capsized on 23 September 1979 at Galatz, where it was due to be restored at a local shipyard. It was partially scrapped with the rest of the wreck removed in 2009.
24 September[]
List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Angelina Lauro
Italy
The retired passenger liner sank in the Pacific Ocean while under tow to shipbreakers in Taiwan
The decommissioned , serving as a target ship, was driven aground near Perdido Key, Florida, in Hurricane Frederic. She was salvaged and returned to service as a target ship.
October[]
6 October[]
List of shipwrecks: 6 October 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Harder
United States
The 48-foot (14.6 m) vessel sank near Kodiak, Alaska. The charter vessel Ten Bears (United States) rescued her crew.[10]
The crudeoil tanker collided with the motor vessel (Greece) and sank with the loss of 43 crew.
23 November[]
List of shipwrecks: 23 November 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Hellion
United States
The 38-gross register ton, 59-foot (18.0 m) crab-fishing vessel disappeared during a storm near Dutch Harbor, Alaska, with the loss of her entire crew of three.[10]
The cargo ship capsized and sank in the Baltic Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) northeast of Gotska Sandön after her cargo shifted in heavy weather.
14 December[]
List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Panama
Ran aground off Şile, Turkey. Refloated in August 1980, repaired and returned to service.[40]
United Kingdom
The Moody 36 yacht sank three miles (4.8 km) off Lulworth, Dorset while heading for Bordeaux, France with the loss of four lives.[47][48]
16 December[]
List of shipwrecks: 16 December 1979
Ship
Country
Description
West Germany
The vessel was driven ashore in a gale at Prawle Point, Devon, United Kingdom and wrecked.[49]
The ship, ex (Adriatica Line) passenger/cargo ship (1951-1975), broke tow on the way to shipbreakers in Spain running aground at Temistokleas Bay, Piraeus, Greece.[52]
Unknown date[]
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1979
Ship
Country
Description
Greece
The tanker caught fire off Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France. She was declared a constructive total loss.[53]
William R. Farrell
United States
The tug sank in 55 feet (17 m) of water in the North Atlantic Ocean off Harvey Cedars, New Jersey.[54]
^Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN1-55125-072-1., p. 165.]