World War I: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east by north of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UB-27 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[3]
Imperial German Navy
World War I: The S90-class torpedo boat struck a mine and sank in the North Sea.[4]
World War I: The cargo ship was captured, torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 160 nautical miles (300 km) west by south of Ouessant by SM U-20 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[13] Her crew were rescued by (Italy).[14]
World War I: The naval trawler struck a mine placed by SM U-73 (Imperial German Navy) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Malta with the loss of eleven crew.[17]
5 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
Sweden
World War I: The schooner was sunk in the North Sea by SM UB-21 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[18][19]
6 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
United Kingdom
World War I: The four-masted full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 190 nautical miles (350 km) south west by west of The Lizard, Cornwall by SM U-20 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[9][20]
The barquentine was driven ashore at North Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom and was wrecked. Her eight crew were rescued by the Seahouses Lifeboat.[21]
United Kingdom
The cargo ship was driven ashore at Genoa, Italy. Her crew were rescued.[21]
7 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
Norway
The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank in the Bristol Channel off Barry, Glamorgan, United Kingdom with the loss of five of her thirteen crew.[21]
Sweden
World War I: The wooden schooner, en route from Gävle to Århus, struck a mine off Sandhamn in the Baltic Sea. She was deep in the water but floating on the cargo. The crew managed to sail her back to harbour, but after inspection she was condemned.[22]
World War I: The ocean liner was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 140 nautical miles (260 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock by U-20 (Imperial German Navy) with the loss of five lives.
United States
The cargo ship either broke in two and foundered with out warning or broke up on rocks in Lake Superior off Eagle Harbor, Michigan in a severe storm with the loss of her captain and 18 or 19 of her 22 crew. One crewman rescued by the barge Hartnell, one by , and two by (all flag unknown). The wreck was located in 2019.[23][24][25][26][27]
The cargo ship owned by the North Pacific Steamship Company had left San Francisco bound for Valparaíso, Chile with a cargo of explosives, wheat, oil and gasoline.[28] It foundered in heavy seas in the Pacific Ocean off Point Buchon, California at about 3 p.m.[29][28] 47 people died and three crew members were rescued from a lifeboat that beached near San Luis Obispo, California.[28][30]
10 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
United Kingdom
World War I: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 3.25 nautical miles (6.02 km) north north east of North Foreland, Kent with the loss of a crew member.[9]
Panther
United Kingdom
The ketch was driven ashore at Hunstanton, Norfolk and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued.[31]
United Kingdom
The schooner sprang a leak in The Wash and was beached at Hunstanton. Her crew were rescued by the Hunstanton Lifeboat.[31]
Imperial Russian Navy
The Som-class submarine accidentally collided with (Sweden) and sank in the Sea of Åland, in the area between the island of Arholma and Svartklubben lighthouse. 18 crew were killed in the incident.[32] The discovery of a submarine wreck off the coast of Sweden in 2015, was confirmed by the Swedish Armed Forces in July of that year to in all likelihood be that of Som.[33][34]
11 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
United States
The schooner barge sank in Hampton Roads, Virginia after colliding with (flag unknown).[35]
The cargo ship collided with (Japan) in the Inland Sea of Japan and was consequently beached.[29]
12 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
Klotawah
United States
The yacht was destroyed by fire when Thomas Thurston's shipyard at Alexandria Bay, New York, burned down.[36]
Unknown yacht
United States
The yacht was destroyed by fire when Thomas Thurston's shipyard at Alexandria Bay, New York, burned down.[37]
13 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
United Kingdom
World War I: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south west of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée, France.[9]
World War I: The M29-class monitor was shelled and sunk in the Gulf of Smyrna by Ottoman shore-based artillery.
United Kingdom
The 1694 grt cargo ship became stuck in ice in December 1915 in the White Sea and was abandoned. During salvage attempts she sank,[39][40] though some sources have final sinking date of 16 May.[41]
The lumber schooner went ashore in a gale at Swampscott, Massachusetts, 15 miles (24 km) north of Boston, Massachusetts, a total loss. The crew were rescued by the United States Life Saving Service.[49][50]
Research
United Kingdom
World War I: The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) east by south of Cromer, Norfolk by SM UB-18 (Imperial German Navy) with the loss of a crew member.[51]
World War I: The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the Kattegat off the Kullen Lighthouse, Sweden, by a Royal Navy submarine. Her fourteen crew survived.[53][54]
World War I: The Type UE Isubmarine sank in the North Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) off Dunbar, Lothian, United Kingdom after the accidental explosion of a mine she was laying.
Wanderer
United Kingdom
World War I: The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off Southwold by SM UB-29 (Imperial German Navy). Her five crew took to the lifeboat but were not recovered.[55]
World War I: The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) east north east of the Spurn Lightship (United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[60]
Norway
The cargo ship collided with (Norway) off Barry, Glamorgan, United Kingdom and sank. Her crew were rescued.[61]
19 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
Norway
The cargo ship caught fire and sank at New York, United States.[62]
The barge sank at New Haven, Connecticut, after colliding with (flag unknown).[70]
Myosotis
France
World War I: The sailing ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 32 nautical miles (59 km) off , Majorca, Spain by SM U-34 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[71]
Rosalia Madre
Italy
World War I: The sailing ship was sunk in the Straits of Messina by SM U-39 (Imperial German Navy).[72]
World War I: The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of the Columbretes Islands, Spain by SM U-34 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[81]
World War I: The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Elba by SM U-39 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[83]
Peresvet
Imperial Russian Navy
The Peresvet-classbattleship ran aground off Cape Yrodova. She was refloated on 7 June with assistance from the cruiserKasagi (Imperial Japanese Navy) and taken in to Maizuru, Japan for repairs.[84]
World War I: The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France by SM U-39 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[90]
World War I: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea.[69]
United Kingdom
World War I: The collier was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) south by east of Port Mahon, Spain by SM U-39 (Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.[9][59][96]
World War I: The Type UC Isubmarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Zeebrugge, West Flanders, Belgium with the loss of all eighteen crew.[97]
28 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1916
Ship
Country
Description
United Kingdom
World War I: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 106 nautical miles (196 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39 (Imperial German Navy) with the loss of a crew member.[9][98]
France
The schooner foundered in the English Channel. Her crew were rescued by (Portugal).[99]
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Minotaur-classcruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger and four destroyers (all Imperial German Navy) with the loss off all 893 crew.
SMS Elbing
Imperial German Navy
The Pillau-class cruiser collided with SMS Posen (Imperial German Navy) and was damaged. She was subsequently scuttled the next day. (Imperial German Navy) rescued 477 crew, the remaining survivors were rescued by a Dutch trawler.
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Indefatigable-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Von der Tann (Imperial German Navy) and other battleships with the loss of 1,017 of her 1,019 crew.
HMS Invincible
Royal Navy
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Invincible-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger and SMS Lützow (both Imperial German Navy) with the loss of 1,026 of her 1,032 crew.
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Admiralty M-class destroyer was shelled and sunk with the loss of eight of her 80 crew. Survivors were rescued by the Germans and became prisoners of war.
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Queen Mary-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger (Imperial German Navy) with the loss of 1,266 of her 1,284 crew. Survivors were rescued by HMS Laurel, HMS Petard and HMS Tipperary (all Royal Navy).
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Acasta-class destroyer was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by (Imperial German Navy). Six survivors were rescued by a Danish ship.
HMS Tipperary
Royal Navy
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Faulknor-class destroyer leader was shelled and sunk by SMS Westfalen (Imperial German Navy) with the loss of 185 of her 197 crew.
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Grosses Torpedoboot 1913-class torpedo boat was shelled and sunk by HMS Shark, HMS Valiant and another ship (all Royal Navy) with the loss of 90 of her 91 crew.
HMS Warrior
Royal Navy
World War I: Battle of Jutland: The Warrior-class cruiser was shelled and damaged by SMS Derfflinger and four destroyers (all Imperial German Navy). She foundered the next day due to damage sustained. HMS Engadine (Royal Navy) rescued 743 survivors.
Unknown date[]
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1916
Ship
Country
Description
Germany
World War I: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Baltic Sea by an Imperial Russian Navy submarine. Her crew were rescued.[53]
^"American Marine Engineer june, 1916". National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association of the United States. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Haithi Trust.
^"American Marine Engineer May, 1916". National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association of the United States. Retrieved 31 October 2020 – via Haithi Trust.
^"American Marine Engineer May, 1916". National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association of the United States. Retrieved 31 October 2020 – via Haithi Trust.