List of shipwrecks of France
This is a list of shipwrecks located in or off the coast of France.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Boyne_1875.jpg/220px-Boyne_1875.jpg)
The shipwreck of the Boyne off the Îles Molène, Brittany, 1875
Aquitaine[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
U-180 | ![]() |
23 August 1944 | A Type IXD1 U-boat sunk off Soorts-Hossegor. | 44°00′00″N 2°00′00″W / 44.000°N 2.000°W |
Brittany[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
SS Ajax | ![]() |
25 December 1917 | A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-104 south of Audierne. | 47°53′N 4°32′W / 47.883°N 4.533°W |
HMS Amazon | ![]() |
14 January 1797 | A frigate that ran aground at Audierne. | |
HMS Amfitrite | ![]() |
4 March 1807 | A frigate wrecked off Ushant. | |
MV Amoco Cadiz | ![]() |
16 March 1978 | A supertanker that ran aground at Portsall, causing an oil spill. | 48°36′N 4°42′W / 48.6°N 4.7°W |
HMS Arethusa | ![]() |
19 March 1779 | Royal Navy frigate, wrecked off Ushant after sustaining considerable damage in a battle with the French ship Aigrette. | 48°27′4″N 5°4′4″W / 48.45111°N 5.06778°W |
Asgard II | ![]() |
11 September 2008 | A brigantine that sank off Belle Île. | 47°18′03″N 3°33′02″W / 47.30083°N 3.55056°W |
HMCS Athabaskan | ![]() |
29 April 1944 | A Tribal-class destroyer that was torpedoed by T24 off Plouguerneau. | 48°43′N 4°32′W / 48.717°N 4.533°W |
Auguste | ![]() |
29 January 1795 | A ship of the line caught in a tempest off Brest. | |
MS Böhlen | ![]() |
14 Octobre 1976 | An oil tanker that sank after going aground off the Île de Sein | 48°10′30″N 5°10′48″W / 48.17500°N 5.18000°W |
HMS Charybdis | ![]() |
23 October 1943 | A Dido-class cruiser that was sunk by German torpedo boats off the north coast of Brittany. | 48°59′N 3°39′W / 48.983°N 3.650°W |
Droits de l'Homme | ![]() |
1797 | Sunk after going aground off Plozévet. | |
SS Empire Conyngham | ![]() |
20 June 1949 | A cargo ship that was scuttled off Brest. | 47°52′N 8°51′W / 47.867°N 8.850°W |
MV Erika | ![]() |
12 December 1999 | An oil tanker that sank in the Bay of Biscay, causing an oil spill. | 47°9′N 4°15′W / 47.150°N 4.250°W |
HMS Firm | ![]() |
29 June 1811 | A gun-brig wrecked off Cancalle Bay. | |
France | ![]() |
26 August 1922 | A Courbet-class battleship that struck a rock in Quiberon Bay. | 47°27′6″N 3°2′0″W / 47.45167°N 3.03333°W |
USS Gypsum Queen | ![]() |
28 April 1919 | A tugboat that struck a rock off Brest. | |
SS Hilda | ![]() |
18 December 1905 | A steamship that hit the Pierre de Portes rocks in thick fog and sank off Saint-Malo. | 48°40.49′N 2°5.72′W / 48.67483°N 2.09533°W |
SS London | ![]() |
11 January 1864 | Sunk in a storm in the Bay of Biscay. | |
HMS Magnificent | ![]() |
25 March 1804 | A Ramillies-class ship of the line that struck a reef off Brest. | |
HMS Monkey (1801) | ![]() |
25 December 1810 | A gun-brig wrecked on Belle Île while participating in the blockade of Lorient. | |
Neptune | ![]() |
28 December 1794 | A ship of the line wrecked off Brest during the Croisière du Grand Hiver. | |
HMS Repulse | ![]() |
10 March 1800 | An Intrepid-class ship of the line abandoned in the Glénan islands. | |
Royal Louis | ![]() |
24 December 1794 | A ship of the line that ran aground off Brest. | |
Saint-Esprit | ![]() |
30 January 1795 | A Saint-Esprit-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest during Croisière du Grand Hiver. | |
Séduisant | ![]() |
16 December 1796 | A Séduisant-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest. | |
Superbe | ![]() |
30 January 1795 | A Téméraire-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest during the Croisière du Grand Hiver. | |
U-103 | ![]() |
12 May 1918 | A German submarine that was rammed by RMS Olympic off Brest. | 49°16′N 4°51′W / 49.267°N 4.850°W |
U-171 | ![]() |
9 October 1942 | A Type IXC U-boat that was sunk near Lorient. | 47°39′N 03°34′W / 47.650°N 3.567°W |
U-441 | ![]() |
8 June 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk off Ushant. | 48°27′N 05°47′W / 48.450°N 5.783°W |
U-526 | ![]() |
14 April 1943 | A Type IXC/40 U-boat that was sunk by mines near Lorient. | 47°30′N 03°45′W / 47.500°N 3.750°W |
U-767 | ![]() |
18 June 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk by British destroyers north of Tréguier. | 49°03′N 03°13′W / 49.050°N 3.217°W |
U-821 | ![]() |
10 June 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk by aircraft off Ushant. | 48°31′N 05°11′W / 48.517°N 5.183°W |
UC-36 | ![]() |
21 May 1917 | A German Type UC II U-boat that was rammed by French steamer Molière off Ushant. | 48°42′N 05°14′W / 48.700°N 5.233°W |
Channel Islands[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
HMS Affray | ![]() |
16 April 1951 | An Amphion-class submarine lost near Hurds Deep. | 49°30′N 3°34′W / 49.500°N 3.567°W |
SMS Baden | ![]() |
16 August 1921 | A Bayern-class dreadnought sunk as a target in Hurd Deep. | 49°49′42″N 2°23′21″W / 49.82833°N 2.38917°W |
HMS Dragon | ![]() |
15 March 1712 | A frigate that served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and was wrecked near Guernsey. | |
![]() |
19 February 1917 | A Q ship that was sunk by SM UC-18 west of Jersey. | 49°15′N 02°34′W / 49.250°N 2.567°W | |
SS Stella | ![]() |
30 March 1899 | A passenger ferry that hit a granite reef off the Casquets. | |
UC-18 | ![]() |
19 February 1917 | A German minelaying submarine sunk by Q ship Lady Olive west of Jersey. | 49°15′N 02°34′W / 49.250°N 2.567°W |
Corsica[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
HMS Fleche | ![]() |
12 November 1795 | A corvette that ran aground and capsized in the bay of Saint-Florent. | |
HMS Saracen | ![]() |
14 August 1943 | An S-class submarine that was attacked by Italian corvettes and scuttled off Bastia. | 42°45′N 9°30′E / 42.750°N 9.500°E |
Languedoc-Roussillon[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wreck of Rochelongue | A shipwreck found west of Cap d'Agde dating to the Iron Age, around 600 BC. |
Nord-Pas-de-Calais[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
SS Abukir | ![]() |
28 May 1940 | A steamship that was torpedoed by S-34 northeast of Calais, while evacuating soldiers and civilians from Ostend. | 51°12′N 2°10′E / 51.20°N 2.16°E |
L'Adroit | ![]() |
25 May 1940 | A L'Adroit-class destroyer that was bombed by German aircraft off Dunkirk. | 51°03′N 2°23′E / 51.050°N 2.383°E |
HMS Assistance | ![]() |
29 March 1802 | A fourth-rate ship that hit a sandbank off Dunkirk. | |
Elizabeth | 28 December 1810 | A cargo ship wrecked on the Dunkirk brake, with at least 380 deaths. | ||
HMS Grenade | ![]() |
29 May 1940 | A G-class destroyer that was sunk by German Stuka dive bomber aircraft during the Battle of Dunkirk. | 51°24′28″N 2°49′10″E / 51.40778°N 2.81944°E |
HMS Havant | ![]() |
1 June 1940 | A H-class destroyer that was scuttled after taking damage in the Battle of Dunkirk. | 51°08′00″N 2°15′49″E / 51.13333°N 2.26361°E |
HMS Hermes | ![]() |
31 October 1914 | A Highflyer-class cruiser torpedoed by German submarine U-27. | 51°06′18″N 1°50′18″E / 51.10500°N 1.83833°E |
HMS Keith | ![]() |
1 June 1940 | A B-class destroyer sunk at Dunkirk by enemy aircraft. | 51°04′46″N 02°26′47″E / 51.07944°N 2.44639°E |
HMS Laforey | ![]() |
23 March 1917 | A Laforey-class destroyer that hit a mine off Cap Gris Nez. | |
SS Huntley | ![]() |
21 November 1915 | A German hospital ship seized by the British Navy, and torpedoed by UB-10 off Boulogne. | |
U-109 | ![]() |
26 January 1918 | A German submarine sunk in the English Channel. | 50°53′N 1°31′E / 50.883°N 1.517°E |
UC-26 | ![]() |
8 May 1917 | A German minelaying submarine rammed by HMS Milne off Calais. | 51°03′N 01°40′E / 51.050°N 1.667°E |
UC-61 | ![]() |
26 July 1917 | A German minelaying submarine stranded and scuttled off Boulogne. | 50°53′N 01°33′E / 50.883°N 1.550°E |
UC-79 | ![]() |
1918 | A German minelaying submarine sunk by a mine off Cap Gris Nez. |
Normandy[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
CSS Alabama | ![]() |
11 June 1864 | A screw sloop-of-war sunk off Cherbourg-Octeville during the American Civil War. | 49°45′09″N 1°41′42″W / 49.75250°N 1.69500°W |
SS Amsterdam | ![]() |
7 August 1944 | A hospital ship that was sunk by a mine while taking casualties from Juno Beach. | |
HMS Berkeley | ![]() |
19 July 1942 | A Hunt-class destroyer that was damaged by German bombers and scuttled off Dieppe. | 49°59′N 01°02′E / 49.983°N 1.033°E |
HMS Britomart | ![]() |
27 August 1944 | A Halcyon-class minesweeper that was, along with HMS Hussar, accidentally sunk by RAF Hawker Typhoons off Le Havre. | |
HMS Capel | ![]() |
26 December 1944 | A Captain-class frigate that was torpedoed by U-486 off Cherbourg. | 49°50′N 1°41′W / 49.833°N 1.683°W |
HMS Centurion | ![]() |
7 June 1944 | A King George V-class battleship sunk as a breakwater off Avranches. | |
La Combattante | ![]() |
23 February 1945 | A Hunt-class destroyer that was used by the Free French Naval Forces, and sank off Normandy. | |
USS Corry | ![]() |
6 June 1944 | A Gleaves-class destroyer sunk off Îles Saint-Marcouf during the D-Day landings. | 49°30′50″N 1°11′30″W / 49.51389°N 1.19167°W |
HMS D3 | ![]() |
12 March 1918 | A D-class submarine that was mistakenly bombed by a French airship off Fecamp. | |
HMS Daffodil | ![]() |
18 March 1945 | A train ferry that was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an amphibious warfare ship, and was sunk by a mine off Dieppe. | 50°02′N 01°04′E / 50.033°N 1.067°E |
MV Derrycunihy | ![]() |
24 June 1944 | A troopship that was sunk by a mine off Sword Beach. | |
HMS Derwent | ![]() |
2 May 1917 | A River-class destroyer sunk off Le Havre by a mine laid by German submarine UC-26. | 49°30′48″N 0°1′48″W / 49.51333°N 0.03000°W |
ORP Dragon | ![]() |
7 July 1944 | A Danae-class cruiser that was transferred to the Polish Navy and then scuttled near Courseulles. | |
HMS Durban | ![]() |
9 June 1944 | A Danae-class light cruiser that was scuttled as a breakwater off Ouistreham. | 49°20′44″N 00°16′08″W / 49.34556°N 0.26889°W |
USS Eastern Shore | ![]() |
4 August 1944 | A cargo ship sunk to form part of a Mulberry harbour. | |
HMS Eden | ![]() |
18 June 1916 | A River-class destroyer that collided with SS France off Fécamp. | |
SS Empire Broadsword | ![]() |
July 1944 | An infantry landing ship sunk by a mine off Normandy. | 49°25′N 0°54′W / 49.417°N 0.900°W |
SS Empire Javelin | ![]() |
28 December 1944 | An infantry landing ship that was sunk in the English Channel. | 50°5′N 1°0′W / 50.083°N 1.000°W |
SS Galeka | ![]() |
28 October 1916 | A hospital ship that struck a mine while entering Le Havre. | 49°34′N 0°5′E / 49.567°N 0.083°E |
USS Glennon | ![]() |
10 June 1944 | A Gleaves-class destroyer that hit a mine and was sunk by shore batteries in the Baie de la Seine. | |
HMS Hussar | ![]() |
27 August 1944 | A minesweeper sunk by friendly fire off Le Havre, along with HMS Britomart. | |
HMS Isis | ![]() |
20 July 1944 | An I-class destroyer sunk off the coast of Normandy. | |
Komet | ![]() |
14 October 1942 | A German auxiliary cruiser sunk by British motor torpedo boats near La Hague. | 49°44′0″N 1°32′0″W / 49.73333°N 1.53333°W |
HMHS Lanfranc | ![]() |
17 April 1917 | A hospital ship torpedoed by German submarine UB-40 off Le Havre. | 50°06′36″N 0°07′12″E / 50.11000°N 0.12000°E |
SS Léopoldville | ![]() |
24 December 1944 | A former Belgian passenger liner converted to a transport ship, torpedoed 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) from the coast of Cherbourg-Octeville. | 49°45′N 1°34′W / 49.750°N 1.567°W |
USS Miantonomah | ![]() |
25 September 1944 | A cargo ship and minelayer sunk by a mine off Le Havre. | 49°26′29″N 0°11′31″E / 49.44139°N 0.19194°E |
USS Partridge | ![]() |
11 June 1944 | A Lapwing-class minesweeper sunk by German E-boats off Vierville-sur-Mer. | 49°30′N 00°50′W / 49.500°N 0.833°W |
USS PC-1261 | ![]() |
6 June 1944 | A PC-461-class submarine chaser, and the first ship sunk during the D-Day landings. | 49°30′N 01°10′W / 49.500°N 1.167°W |
SS Pennsylvanian | ![]() |
16 July 1944 | A cargo ship scuttled to form part of a Mulberry harbour. | 49°22′29″N 0°53′31″W / 49.37472°N 0.89194°W |
HMS Pylades | ![]() |
8 July 1944 | A Catherine-class minesweeper sunk off Juno Beach. | 49°25′36″N 00°15′04″W / 49.42667°N 0.25111°W |
HMS Quorn | ![]() |
3 August 1944 | A Hunt-class destroyer sunk off the coast of Normandy. | |
USS Rich | ![]() |
8 June 1944 | A Buckley-class destroyer escort that hit three mines off Îles Saint-Marcouf. | 49°31′N 1°10.6′W / 49.517°N 1.1767°W |
HMHS Salta | ![]() |
10 April 1917 | A hospital ship that hit a mine laid by UC-26 off Le Havre. | 49°32′8″N 0°2′18″W / 49.53556°N 0.03833°W |
HMS Shannon | ![]() |
10 December 1803 | A frigate wrecked off Tatihou. | |
Soleil-Royal | ![]() |
3 June 1692 | A ship of the line beached at Cherbourg and destroyed by fireships. | |
USS Susan B. Anthony | ![]() |
7 June 1944 | A transport ship sunk by a mine off Normandy; all 2,689 people aboard were rescued. | 49°29′24″N 0°42′48″W / 49.49000°N 0.71333°W |
HNoMS Svenner | ![]() |
6 June 1944 | An S-class destroyer that served in the Royal Norwegian Navy, and was sunk off Sword Beach. | 49°27′N 0°15′W / 49.450°N 0.250°W |
USS Tide | ![]() |
7 June 1944 | An Auk-class minesweeper sunk by a mine off Îles Saint-Marcouf. | 49°36′59″N 1°4′59″W / 49.61639°N 1.08306°W |
SS Train Ferry No. 2 | ![]() |
13 June 1940 | A train ferry that was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an amphibious warfare ship, and was sunk by German gunfire off Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer.[1] | 49°56′N 00°56′E / 49.933°N 0.933°E |
U-151 | ![]() |
7 June 1921 | A German submarine sunk as a target at Cherbourg. | |
UC-78 | ![]() |
9 May 1918 | A German minelaying submarine rammed by off Cherbourg. | 49°49′N 01°40′W / 49.817°N 1.667°W |
HMAT Warilda | ![]() |
3 August 1918 | An Australian hospital ship torpedoed by U-boat UC-49 off Le Havre. | |
SS West Cheswald | ![]() |
11 June 1944 | A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater. | |
MS West Grama | ![]() |
8 June 1944 | A cargo ship scuttled off Omaha Beach as a breakwater. | |
MS West Honaker | ![]() |
8 June 1944 | A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater. | |
SS West Nohno | ![]() |
11 June 1944 | A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater. | |
White Ship | 25 November 1120 | A 12th century vessel that sank in the English Channel near the Normandy coast off Barfleur. |
Pays de la Loire[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
HMS Alcmene | ![]() |
29 April 1809 | An frigate wrecked off Nantes. | |
USS Buchanan | ![]() |
29 March 1942 | A Wickes-class destroyer that was deliberately blown up in the St Nazaire Raid. | 47°16′34″N 2°11′49″W / 47.27611°N 2.19694°W |
Héros (1750) | ![]() |
21 September 1759 | A ship of the line wrecked off Le Croisic. | |
RMS Lancastria | ![]() |
17 June 1940 | A Cunard Liner sunk in the Loire River estuary during World War II. | 47°10′26″N 2°19′15″W / 47.17389°N 2.32083°W |
Saint-Philibert | ![]() |
14 June 1931 | A cruise ship that sank off the Île de Noirmoutier, resulting in the death of nearly 500 passengers. | |
Sachsenwald | ![]() |
6 August 1944 | A German weather ship that was sunk by a British convoy off Île d'Yeu. | |
U-268 | ![]() |
19 February 1943 | A Type VIIC U-boat sunk by depth charges off Nantes. | 47°03′N 05°56′W / 47.050°N 5.933°W |
U-51 | ![]() |
20 August 1940 | A Type VIIB U-boat torpedoed by HMS Cachalot off Saint-Nazaire. | 47°06′N 04°51′W / 47.100°N 4.850°W |
U-736 | ![]() |
6 August 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat sunk by HMS Loch Killin off Saint-Nazaire. | 47°19′N 4°16′W / 47.317°N 4.267°W |
Poitou-Charentes[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
HMS Atalante | ![]() |
12 February 1807 | A brig-sloop wrecked off Île de Ré. | |
U-107 | ![]() |
18 August 1944 | A Type IXB U-boat sunk by depth charges off La Rochelle. | 46°46′N 03°49′W / 46.767°N 3.817°W |
U-263 | ![]() |
20 January 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk during a deep dive trial off La Rochelle. | 46°06′N 01°36′W / 46.100°N 1.600°W |
U-667 | ![]() |
25 August 1944 | A Type VIIC U-boat that struck a mine off Oléron. | 46°00′N 01°30′W / 46.000°N 1.500°W |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur[]
Ship | Flag | Sunk date | Notes | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Espingole | ![]() |
4 February 1903 | A Durandal-class destroyer that struck a rock near Cavalaire-sur-Mer. | 43°09′20″N 06��36′30″E / 43.15556°N 6.60833°E |
Héros | ![]() |
18 December 1793 | A ship of the line that was scuttled by fire at Toulon. | |
L'Indomptable | ![]() |
27 November 1942 | A Le Fantasque-class destroyer that was scuttled at Toulon to avoid capture (see Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon). | |
Madrague de Giens | 75-60 BCE | A Roman merchantman sunk off the coast of La Madrague de Giens, east of Toulon. | 43°2′N 06°6′E / 43.033°N 6.100°E | |
Magenta | ![]() |
31 October 1875 | An ironclad warship that exploded in the military harbour of Toulon. | |
U-303 | ![]() |
21 May 1943 | A Type VIIC U-boat that was torpedoed by HMS Sickle off Toulon. | 42°50′N 06°00′E / 42.833°N 6.000°E |
References[]
- ^ "Le HMS Dafodil ou TF3" (in French). Grieme. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
External links[]
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