List of shipwrecks in 2003

The list of shipwrecks in 2003 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 2003.

table of contents
← 2002 2003 2004 →
Jan Feb Mar Apr
May Jun Jul Aug
Sep Oct Nov Dec
Unknown date
References

January

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1 January

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List of shipwrecks: 1 January 2003
Ship State Description
Vicky   Turkey The cargo ship ran aground on the wreck of Tricolor (  Norway) in the English Channel off Dunquerque, Nord, France. Later refloated.[1]

3 January

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List of shipwrecks: 3 January 2003
Ship State Description
Vermontborg   Romania This new ship, under tow from Romania to Germany, broke free and came aground on the Guernsey, Channel Islands coast.[2][3]

5 January

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List of shipwrecks: 5 January 2003
Ship State Description
Pioneer   United States In disrepair and in danger of sinking in the boat harbor at Kodiak, Alaska, the 80-foot (24.4 m) halibut schooner was scuttled by her owner in 260 feet (79 meters) of water in the Gulf of Alaska approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) off Cape Chiniak (57°37′N 152°10′W / 57.617°N 152.167°W / 57.617; -152.167 (Cape Chiniak)) on Kodiak Island.[4]

11 January

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List of shipwrecks: 11 January 2003
Ship State Description
Sunrunner   United States The 58-foot (17.7 m) longline cod-fishing vessel sank off Twoheaded Island (56°54′N 153°35′W / 56.900°N 153.583°W / 56.900; -153.583 (Twoheaded Island)) in the Kodiak Archipelago. A United States Coast Guard helicopter and the fishing vessel Heritage (  United States) rescued her entire crew of five.[5]

24 January

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List of shipwrecks: 24 January 2003
Ship State Description
Combine   United States The 41-foot (12.5 m) longline cod-fishing vessel struck a pinnacle off Popof Island (57°46′00″N 152°24′10″W / 57.76667°N 152.40278°W / 57.76667; -152.40278 (Popof Island)) in the Kodiak Archipelago about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) east of Kodiak, Alaska. The fishing vessel Highliner (  United States) rescued her crew of three.[6]

February

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17 February

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List of shipwrecks: 17 February 2003
Ship State Description
Tor I   Tonga The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Sicily, Italy with the loss of all eight crew.[7]

18 February

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List of shipwrecks: 18 February 2003
Ship State Description
Myra Jean   United States The 42-foot (12.8 m) Alaska pollock trawler struck a rock, capsized and sank at the head of Wells Bay (60°53′30″N 147°28′30″W / 60.89167°N 147.47500°W / 60.89167; -147.47500 (Wells Bay)) in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The fishing vessel Anna Lee (  United States) rescued her crew of two.[8]

March

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16 March

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List of shipwrecks: 16 March 2003
Ship State Description
Copa Casino flag unknown The cruise ship sank off the coast of Dominican Republic while on her last voyage to Alang, India for scrapping.

21 March

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List of shipwrecks: 21 March 2003
Ship State Description
Bering Sea   United States The 45-foot (13.7 m) longline halibut-fishing vessel was wrecked on the northwest coast of Yakobi Island in the Alexander Archipelago near Cape Bingham (58°05′30″N 136°31′00″W / 58.09167°N 136.51667°W / 58.09167; -136.51667 (Cape Bingham)) in Southeast Alaska. All three people and a dog on board abandoned ship in a life raft and were rescued by a United States Coast Guard helicopter.[9]

22 March

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List of shipwrecks: 22 March 2003
Ship State Description
RMS Mulheim   Antigua and Barbuda
 
RMS Mulheim, September 2003.

The cargo ship ran aground at Sennen Cove, United Kingdom. She was declared a constructive total loss on 24 March.

24 March

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List of shipwrecks: 24 March 2003
Ship State Description
New Viking   United States The 52-foot (15.8 m) crab-fishing vessel sank in Southeast Alaska near Sullivan Island State Marine Park (58°57′48″N 135°19′21″W / 58.9633°N 135.3224°W / 58.9633; -135.3224 (Sullivan Island State Marine Park)) 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) southwest of Eldred Rock. The only person aboard abandoned ship in a skiff and was rescued by the United States Coast Guard.[10]

April

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2 April

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List of shipwrecks: 2 April 2003
Ship State Description
USS Bigelow   United States Navy The decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was sunk as a target.

11 April

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List of shipwrecks: 11 April 2003
Ship State Description
ROCS Lai Yang   Republic of China Navy The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as an artificial reef. (Formerly USS Leonard F. Mason (  United States Navy) the ship's name in Republic of China Navy service also is reported as ROCS Shuei Yang.)

16 April

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List of shipwrecks: 16 April 2003
Ship State Description
361   People's Liberation Army Navy The Ming-class submarine was lost due to an engine run-on accident in the Bohai Sea. All seventy crew suffocated.

22 April

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List of shipwrecks: 22 April 2003
Ship State Description
Al Munassir   Royal Navy of Oman Vessel sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Muscat.

29 April

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List of shipwrecks: 29 April 2003
Ship State Description
Brittany Kaye   United States The 29-foot (8.8 m) herring gillnetter struck a rock and sank in Kulukak Bay (58°49′N 159°44′W / 58.817°N 159.733°W / 58.817; -159.733 (Kulukak Bay)) on the south-central coast of Alaska, 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) southeast of Togiak. Her crew of two survived. At low tide she was seen to be sitting on mud but was deemed too badly damaged to be refloated.[9]

13 May

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List of shipwrecks: 13 May 2003
Ship State Description
HMS Tireless   Royal Navy The Trafalgar-class submarine collided underwater with an iceberg in the Arctic Ocean and was damaged.

30 May

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List of shipwrecks: 30 May 2003
Ship State Description
Racona II   United States The 72-foot (22 m) vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Spruce Cape (57°49′15″N 152°20′00″W / 57.82083°N 152.33333°W / 57.82083; -152.33333 (Spruce Cape)) near Kodiak, Alaska. The fishing vessel Compromise (  United States) rescued her two-man crew.[11]

31 May

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List of shipwrecks: 31 May 2003
Ship State Description
Fu Shan Hai   China The bulk carrier collided with Gdynia (  Cyprus) off Bornholm, Denmark and sank.[12]

June

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12 June

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List of shipwrecks: 12 June 2003
Ship State Description
Al-Mansur   Iraqi Navy Saddam Hussein's presidential yacht was bombed and damaged at Basra by Grumman F-14 Tomcat aircraft of the United States Navy in March, 2003 during the Iraq War. Capsized and sank at dock at Basrah, Iraq after being looted.[13][14]

14 June

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List of shipwrecks: 14 June 2003
Ship State Description
Taki-Tooo   United States The 32-foot (9.8 m) chartered fishing boat capsized off the Oregon Coast near Tillamook Bay while crossing the bar. Eleven people, including the skipper, perished.[15][16]

19 June

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List of shipwrecks: 19 June 2003
Ship State Description
ex-USS Richard E. Byrd   Hellenic Navy The decommissioned Charles F. Adams-class guided-missile destroyer was sunk as a target by Greek forces after sale to Greece and cannibalization for spare parts.

27 June

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List of shipwrecks: 27 June 2003
Ship State Description
Unidentified barge   United States The retired 75-foot (22.9 m) barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, in 80 feet (24 m) of water at 40°03.560′N 073°59.300′W / 40.059333°N 73.988333°W / 40.059333; -73.988333 ("Barbar Ann"). Her wreck is known as "Barbara Ann."[17]
Unidentified barge   United States The retired 50-foot (15.2 m) barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, in 80 feet (24 m) of water at 40°03.585′N 073°59.391′W / 40.059750°N 73.989850°W / 40.059750; -73.989850 (Swensen Barge). Her wreck is known as the "Swensen Barge."[18]

July

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8 July

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List of shipwrecks: 8 July 2003
Ship State Description
Miss Everett   United States The 34-foot (10.4 m) troller sank near Kruzof Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska, approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) north of Sitka, Alaska. The only person aboard perished.[8]
Nazreen-1   Bangladesh The ferry sank in the Meghna River near Chandpur, Bangladesh, causing the deaths of 400 people.[19]

17 July

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List of shipwrecks: 17 July 2003
Ship State Description
Four Daughters   United States The 86-foot (26.2 m) fishing trawler and clam dredger sank on her maiden voyage in 130 feet (40 m) of water in the North Atlantic Ocean 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) southeast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, at 39°59.46′N 073°11.25′W / 39.99100°N 73.18750°W / 39.99100; -73.18750 (Lady Gertrude).[20]

21 July

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22 July

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List of shipwrecks: 22 July 2003
Ship State Description
HMCS Nipigon   Maritime Command The decommissioned Mackenzie-class destroyer was sunk in the St. Lawrence River north-east of Rimouski as an artificial reef.[21]
USS Samuel Gompers   United States Navy The decommissioned Samuel Gompers-class destroyer tender sank in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina at 31°17′N 073°51′W / 31.283°N 73.850°W / 31.283; -73.850 ("USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37)) after being used as a target for Harpoon missiles and aerial bombs the previous day.

28 July

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List of shipwrecks: 28 July 2003
Ship State Description
Tasman Spirit   Greece The tanker ran aground in the Arabian Sea off Karachi, Pakistan. She broke up and sank on 14 August.[22]

29 July

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List of shipwrecks: 29 July 2003
Ship State Description
USS Ingersoll   United States Navy The decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer was sunk as a target.

30 July

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List of shipwrecks: 30 July 2003
Ship State Description
Neptun   Germany The 16.11-metre (52 ft 10 in) fishing cutter ran aground, heeled over and sank on its side in shallow water in the channel at Norddeich. Later salvaged.[23]

August

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1 August

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4 August

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List of shipwrecks: 4 August 2003
Ship State Description
United Malika   Morocco
 
United Malika

The reefer ship ran aground near Ras Nouadhibou in Mauritania. Its crew were rescued by the Mauritanian Navy.

15 August

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20 August

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List of shipwrecks: 20 August 2003
Ship State Description
Donna Ann   United States The 47-gross ton, 49.7-or-58-foot (15.1 or 17.7 m) fishing vessel dragged her anchor and was stranded on the beach in Tanglefoot Bay (57°34′30″N 154°29′30″W / 57.57500°N 154.49167°W / 57.57500; -154.49167 (Tanglefoot Bay)) near Karluk, Alaska. Her crew survived.[24]

28 August

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List of shipwrecks: 28 August 2003
Ship State Description
North Star   United States The 55-foot (17 m) scallop trawler capsized and sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 100 feet (30 m) of water in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (42°23′N 70°21′W / 42.383°N 70.350°W / 42.383; -70.350). The two crew members were picked up by Half Fast.[25]

30 August

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List of shipwrecks: 30 August 2003
Ship State Description
K-159   Russian Navy The November-class submarine sank in the Barents Sea while under tow to a scrapyard. Nine of her ten crew were killed.

September

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11 September

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List of shipwrecks: 11 September 2003
Ship State Description
Moby Magic   Italy The ferry ran aground in the Mediterranean Sea off Porto Cervo, Sardinia. All 160 people on board were rescued.[26]

25 September

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October

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8 October

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List of shipwrecks: 8 October 2003
Ship State Description
ROCS Fu Yang   Republic of China Navy The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a target.

14 October

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List of shipwrecks: 14 October 2003
Ship State Description
ROCS An Yang   Republic of China Navy The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target.
ROCS Huei Yang   Republic of China Navy The decommissioned Allen M. Sumner-class guided-missile destroyer was sunk as a target.

15 October

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List of shipwrecks: 15 October 2003
Ship State Description
Andrew J. Barberi   United States The ferry collided at full speed with a pier at Staten Island, New York. Eleven people were killed and seventy-one were injured. The ship was later repaired and returned to service.

25 October

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List of shipwrecks: 25 October 2003
Ship State Description
USS Hartford   United States Navy
 
USS Hartford.

USS Hartford grounding: The Los Angeles-class submarine ran aground at La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy. She was subsequently repaired and returned to service

November

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7 November

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List of shipwrecks: 7 November 2003
Ship State Description
Jay Jay   United States The retired 90-foot (27.4 m) tug was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean south of Long Island 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) off Moriches Inlet, New York.[30]

18 November

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List of shipwrecks: 18 November 2003
Ship State Description
USS Yosemite   United States Navy The decommissioned destroyer tender was sunk as a target.

25 November

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List of shipwrecks: 25 November 2003
Ship State Description
Dieu Merci   Democratic Republic of the Congo The ferry capsized and sank in Lake Mai-Ndombe, killing 163 people on board. Over 200 people were rescued.[31]

December

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1 December

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List of shipwrecks: 24 December 2003
Ship State Description
Jassim   Bolivia The vessel sank while anchored at Wingate reef, Sudan about 1,113.11 metres (3,651.9 ft) away from the wreck of Umbria.[32]

9 December

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List of shipwrecks: 24 December 2003
Ship State Description
Stellamare   Netherlands The Dutch heavy-lift vessel capsized while loading power generator components at the Port of Albany with the loss of three crew members.[33] A United States Coast Guard investigation found that capsize occurred because of the inexperience of the officers and crew in conducting heavy-lift loading operations in fresh water and miscommunications between the Russian crew and Dutch officers over ballasting requirements.[34] The ship was salvaged but declared a constructive total loss.[33]

24 December

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List of shipwrecks: 24 December 2003
Ship State Description
Elizabeth flag unknown The cargo ship sank in the Aegean Sea off Santorini, Greece. Eight crew were rescued.[35]

Unknown date

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List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 2003
Ship State Description
Alec N   United States The retired 45-foot (13.7 m) fishing trawler was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean off Fire Island south of Long Island, New York sometime in 2003.[36]
Mary N   United States The retired 50-foot (15.2 m) fishing trawler and clam dredger was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean off Fire Island south of Long Island, New York sometime in 2003.[36]
SLNS P-413   Sri Lanka Navy Sri Lankan Civil War: The patrol boat was sunk by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam sometime in 2003.[37]
SLNS P-416   Sri Lanka Navy Sri Lankan Civil War: The patrol boat was sunk by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam sometime in 2003.[37]
SLNS P-495   Sri Lanka Navy Sri Lankan Civil War: The patrol boat was sunk by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam sometime in 2003.[37]

References

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  1. ^ Charles Bremner and Ben Webster (3 January 2003). "Fuel leaks from second ship that hit wreckage". The Times. No. 67650. London. col A-D, p. 12.
  2. ^ "SMIT Salvage awarded LOF contract for the grounded Vermont Borg" (PDF). towingline.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
  3. ^ "Wagenborg 'Vermontborg' Shipwreck in Guernsey 3/1/03". dragtimes.com. 27 November 2017.
  4. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (P)
  5. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (S)
  6. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (C)
  7. ^ "Crew missing". The Times. No. 67689. London. 18 February 2003. col H, p. 16.
  8. ^ a b alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (M)
  9. ^ a b alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (B)
  10. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (N)
  11. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (R)
  12. ^ "Oil leak threat". The Times. No. 67779. London. 3 June 2003. col H, p. 13.
  13. ^ Ian Cobain, additional material by Tim Butcher (Daily Telegraph) and Tom Newton Dunn (Daily Mirror) (11 April 2003). "Saddam's ship of state, dead in the water". The Times. No. 67734. London. col A-H, p. 5.
  14. ^ "MV Al Mansur (+2003)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  15. ^ Cole, Michelle; Hunsberger, Brent; Larabee, Mark (15 June 2003). "Wave flips boat, killing 9 in accident; two others missing". The Oregonian. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  16. ^ Dooris, Pat (10 January 2019). "'It was immediate': Taki-Tooo survivor remembers 2003 sinking that claimed 11 lives on Oregon coast". KGW. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  17. ^ njscuba.net "Barbara Ann"
  18. ^ njscuba.net Swensen Barge
  19. ^ "Ferry disaster claims hundreds". BBC. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  20. ^ njscuba.net Four Daughters
  21. ^ "HMCS NIPIGON 266". forposterityssake.ca. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Oil tanker spill". The Times. No. 67842. London. 15 August 2003. col H, p. 17.
  23. ^ "Investigation Report 226/03" (PDF). bsu-bund.de. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  24. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (D)
  25. ^ "North Star". NOAA.gov. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Ferry abandoned". The Times. No. 67866. London. 12 September 2003. col H, p. 22.
  27. ^ njscuba.net A. J. McAllister
  28. ^ a b nj.gov Deepwater Reef
  29. ^ njscuba.net Diver′s Abyss
  30. ^ njscuba.net Moriches Artificial Reef
  31. ^ "163 die as ferry capsizes". The Times. No. 67932. London. 28 November 2003. col H, p. 27.
  32. ^ "M/S KATTEGAT". faktaomfartyg. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  33. ^ a b Aichele, Richard O. (28 February 2007). "Three dead as heavy-lift ship capsizes while loading generator". Professional Mariner. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  34. ^ "Capsizing of the M/V Stellemare" (PDF). Investigating Officer's Report of Investigation. United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  35. ^ "Crew arrested". The Times. No. 67956. London. 27 December 2003. col H, p. 25.
  36. ^ a b "njscuba.net Fire Island Artificial Reef". Archived from the original on 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  37. ^ a b c "Naval Battles of the Sri Lanka Civil War". Soviet-Empire. Retrieved 8 May 2020.