Due to the inherent dangers of ocean travel, maritime disasters have been a constant threat to naval transportation. Maritime disasters are normally boat-related catastrophes that occur while on a large body of water, like a gulf, sea, or ocean. Because of the nature and location of maritime disasters, they are often deadly or destructive to the passengers and natural ecological systems of the area. Such maritime disasters frequently impact the outcomes of wars, policies, and ecological welfare.
Often the most popularized of the maritime disasters was the sinking of the RMS Titanic. One of 3 Olympic-class luxury cruise liners, it collided with an iceberg during its maiden voyage in 1912, killing 1,517 people. Owned by White Star Line, the Titanic was the largest passenger vessel at the time. Coincidentally, another of the 3 Olympic-class cruise liner, the RMS Britannic, was also sunk, due to hostile German forces during World War I. The final Olympic-class cruise liner, the RMS Olympic, was never sunk and served an illustrious naval career.
 |
| The RMS Titanic, the largest cruise liner at the time |
Hostile forces during the two world wars were the cause of many maritime disasters. Many passenger ships were capsized during these wars, including the RMS Lusitania. With 1,198 casualties, 128 of which were American, this maritime disaster was a pressing factor for the United States’ involvement in World War I and caused international negative sentiments towards the Germans.
 |
| A depiction of the RMS Lusitania after it had been torpedoed by a German U-boat |
However, Germany also suffered casualties during the World Wars due to maritime disasters. The MV Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk during World War II in the Baltic Sea while attempting to save and escort fleeing citizens and Nazi officials from East Prussia when this region was attacked by the Red Army of Russia. With an estimated 9,400 casualties, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the largest known loss of life from a single maritime disaster. Another enormous German loss was the sinking of the Goya, a German transport ship also ferrying escaping German civilians and injured Wehrmacht troops from the advancing Soviet armies. The Goya was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine, and sank 7 minutes later. Of the 7,000 passengers, only 183 were saved.
 |
| The large passenger ship MV Wilhelm Gustloff. 9,400 people died when it was torpedoed by Soviet submarines. |
There have been plenty of non-World War maritime disasters as well. Most notable was the destruction of the SS Kiangya, a Chinese vessel carrying thousands of refugees from the Chinese Civil War. While escaping the Communist armies in 1948, the Kiangya hit a mine planted by the Japanese during World War II. The ensuing explosion and sinking killed 3,920 refugees and stowaways.
Large-scale maritime disasters are not isolated during wartime or to immense passenger ships alone. The deadliest ferry accident occurred during the sinking of the MV Doña Paz in 1987. The Doña Paz, traveling from Leyte Island to the Philippines capital of Manila, harbored a death toll of 4,375 people. This occurred when the ferry collided with the oil tanker MT Vector, causing both ships to sink into the shark-infested waters of the Tablas Strait. The 8,800 barrels of gasoline onboard the MT Vector further exacerbated the death toll and ignited on impact with the ferry. Of the passengers, only 26 survived, many with severe burns.
 |
| The ferry Dona Paz, prior to its catastrophic sinking. |
Oil and gasoline in maritime disasters can have other effects as well. The capsizing of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker in the Prince William Sound caused 750,000 barrels of crude oil to spill into the ocean, causing the greatest human-caused environmental disaster until the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Of the 55 million gallons in the tanker, 11 million gallons were released in the ecosystems. The fauna of the Prince William Sound was severely affected: 250,000 seabirds were killed in the event, along with 2,800 sea otters, 247 bald eagles, 22 orcas, and billions of salmon and herring eggs, resulting in the largest ecological disaster in United States waters.
 |
| The Exxon Valdez during its 3rd day of oil spillage. Note the blackness of the surrounding ocean due to oil presence. |
Maritime disasters, for the most part, can be prevented through a variety of means. In most cases, faulty engineering and structural instability were the primary cause of the maritime disaster; ships like the RMS Titanic serve as a reminder for such blunders. When engineers and architects design a ship, the blueprint should be executed as planned. Cutting corners and budget saving can cause loss of life later on. Communication is also key: negotiating location of other ships can help prevent such collisions that destroyed the Dona Paz and the MV Vector. Communication can also safely lead ships in contended or hostile waters, preventing such accidents like the RMS Lusitania and the SS Kiangya. There is risk in every mode of transportation, but this risk can be mitigated.
Additional Resources:
Maritime Disasters of the 20th and 21st Century
Too Many People: Story of the SS Kiangya
List of Titanic Survivors
The United States in the First World War
Lost Liners: The RMS Britannic
