What is a shipwreck?

Shipwreck! Few words so effectively evoke misfortune and drama.
But what is a shipwreck?
Mariners, and this database, define a shipwreck as an incident where a ship is destroyed or seriously damaged. Usually it is an accident, but sometimes ships are deliberately sunk. In many cases ships are repaired after a wreck to sail for many years so one ship may have several wrecks.
Explore with us the many forms a shipwreck may take ...

1 - A Few Examples 2 - Life Cycle of a Wreck 3 - A Partial Loss 4 - Abandoned Derelicts 5 - The Wrecking Process

Melmerby - 1890

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