What is the worlds biggest shipwreck?

Answer 1

Contrary to popular opinion, perhaps as a result of mis-education in school (whether intentional or not is up for debate), the worst maritime disaster was not the Titanic, but rather the torpedoing of the German hospital ship Wilhelm Gustloff in WWII (January 30, 1945). The Wilhelm Gustloff was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine as it was ferrying German nationals (90% of which were civilians) away from the advancing frontline. In the ensuing disaster 9,343 men, women and children lost their lives - many, many more than the 1,500 souls lost on the Titanic. Please get your facts straight. Studying history is more than just some boring thing you did in High School. We study history to know about those many that came before us, and to honor them by remembering their story. To do anything less is the greatest disrespect, to be ignorant the greatest sin one can commit.

The original question asked what was the 'biggest' shipwreck in the world - not neccessarily meaning the worst loss of human life. The biggest wreck was two of the same kind of ship. The Amoco Cadiz and the Haven - both Supertankers of 109,700 GRT, built by Astilleros Espanoles S.A of Cadiz. The former was carrying 223,000 tonnes of crude oil on it's way from Kharg Island in Iran to Rotterdam, when on March 16th 1978 her steering gear failed when navigating around Ushant Island in a Force 11 storm. A 40 foot wave subsequently hit the rudder and resulted in a backlash effect in the hydraulic system, rupturing the studs that held the hydraulic pipework to the distribution block in the steering pump mechanism. She then drifted on to Men Goulven rocks on the North Brittany coast after efforts by a lone tug failed to tow her into deeper and safer waters. She eventually split in three over the course of the next 10 days, resulting in the world's worst ever tanker borne pollution disaster.

The Haven was a sister ship of Amoco Cadiz and caught fire and exploded off Italy in 1991, whilst discharging it's cargo of 144,000 tons of crude, spilling at least 50,000 of that into the waters of the Med. In terms of size alone, both equate to the 'biggest' shipwrecks of the world.