Where Have The Most Shipwrecks Occurred?

Wherever ships sail, there are shipwrecks. From narrow rivers to the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, ships can wreck just about anywhere in the world. While it’s impossible to know exactly how many shipwrecks there have been through the years or the precise location where they may be located, thanks to modern technology, we do have a good idea of where some of the most recent wrecks occurred. The below graphic by SIYachts.com visualizes which bodies of water have seen the most shipwrecks (based on the most recent 300 wrecks at time of the graphic’s creation in February 2023).

The graphic utilizes a numbered pin map of the world to show which bodies of water have seen the most shipwrecks. Underneath the map is a pictorial unit chart with more information about each body of water and how many wrecks they have seen.

Unsurprisingly, the Atlantic Ocean has seen the most shipwrecks. Of the last 300 recorded shipwrecks, 25 of them were in the Atlantic. While not recent, perhaps the most famous shipwreck in the Atlantic is the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The passenger liner famously hit an iceberg and sunk while en route from Southhampton, UK to New York City.

While many of the top bodies of water on the list are vast oceans and seas, not all are as massive. The Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from mainland China, ranks sixth on the list. Out of the last 300 recorded shipwrecks, 10 have been in the Taiwan Strait.