From battleships to cargo ships: shipwrecks preserved beneath the water

Seventy-one percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, while only 29 percent is land. This fact alone highlights how much history and how many secrets lie buried beneath oceans, seas, and rivers.

There is an entire world under the water awaiting exploration—a world of sunken ships. The Titanic is only a small part of this hidden realm. According to researchers, there are more than 3 million shipwrecks on the ocean floor. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most remarkable ones.

Titanic – the “unsinkable legend” that sank

In April 1912, the luxurious ocean liner Titanic, once declared “unsinkable,” set off on its maiden voyage. However, just four days into the journey, the legend ended in tragedy. The ship struck an iceberg and sank into the icy Atlantic, killing over 1,500 people. Though the ship went down, its story didn’t end there—the "ghost" of the Titanic still lingers beneath the sea.

The wreck was discovered in 1985 at a depth of 3,810 meters. Scientists warn that bacteria are rapidly consuming the metal, and the entire structure may dissolve by 2030.

While most people know the Titanic through its famous film adaptation, the real story continues on the ocean floor.

USS Arizona – a victim of Japanese bombardment

Lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean is the wreck of the USS Arizona, a battleship destroyed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. On the morning of December 7, 1941, a bomb pierced its hull, triggering a massive explosion. As a result, 1,177 crew members perished, many of whom remain entombed in the ship.

Today, the USS Arizona Memorial draws over 2 million visitors annually.

SS Thistlegorm – an underwater World War II museum

The SS Thistlegorm was a British cargo ship launched in 1940 and sunk in the Red Sea in 1941 by German bombers. It was carrying military equipment—including tanks, motorcycles, and rifles—for British troops.

Rediscovered in the 1950s by explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the wreck has since become an underwater museum. Divers can see preserved boots, train cars, and other wartime artifacts. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect the site as tourism increases.

Vasa – Sweden’s maritime misfortune

The Swedish warship Vasa sank in 1628, just 1,300 meters into its maiden voyage. Overloaded with bronze cannons, it lost balance and capsized in Stockholm harbor.

When rediscovered in 1961, the ship was found to be remarkably intact, thanks to the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. Today, the Vasa is on display in a museum and remains one of the best-preserved 17th-century ships in the world. About 95 percent of the original structure has survived.

USS Indianapolis – a shark-filled nightmare

On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sank in 12 minutes. Around 900 of the 1,200 crew members initially survived, but after four days of exposure, dehydration, and relentless shark attacks, only 316 made it out alive.

The ship played a key role in delivering components of the atomic bombs later dropped on Japan. Its wreck was found in 2017 at a depth of 5,500 meters in the Pacific Ocean by a team led by Paul Allen.

HMHS Britannic – larger than the Titanic

Though not as well known, the Britannic was even larger than the Titanic. Reconverted into a floating hospital during World War I, it sank in 1916 after hitting German mines near the Greek island of Kea.

Thirty people died, but more than 1,000 survived, thanks in part to improved safety measures implemented after the Titanic disaster.

Lying 400 feet beneath the Aegean Sea, the Britannic is one of the best-preserved shipwrecks. It was discovered in 1975 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Interestingly, Violet Jessop survived both the Titanic and Britannic sinkings.

MV Wilhelm Gustloff – a forgotten maritime tragedy

On January 30, 1945, the Wilhelm Gustloff—a former Nazi pleasure ship—suffered the deadliest maritime disaster in history. Packed with over 10,000 refugees and wounded soldiers fleeing Soviet forces, it was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine. An estimated 9,343 people died—more than the combined death tolls of the Titanic and Lusitania.

Today, the ship rests 50 meters beneath the Polish coast and is designated a war grave, off-limits to divers. Despite its scale, the tragedy remains largely unknown due to wartime censorship and political neglect.

Chuuk Lagoon – the ghost fleet

Located in the Pacific, Chuuk Lagoon holds the remains of more than 60 Japanese warships sunk during the U.S. “Operation Hailstone” in February 1944. Once a formidable naval base, the site is now considered one of the world’s largest underwater military cemeteries.

Divers can explore sunken planes, gas masks, and tanks that have been remarkably preserved. Today, the lagoon serves as a haunting underwater museum.

SS Richard Montgomery – a floating time bomb

The SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary near Sheerness, England, in August 1944. It was carrying 1,400 tons of explosives destined for France. Despite multiple salvage attempts, the dangerous cargo remains aboard.

The ship’s masts are still visible above water. Experts warn that if the munitions explode, the blast could cause significant damage to nearby communities.

HMS Erebus and HMS Terror – lost in the Arctic ice

In 1845, Sir John Franklin led an expedition to find the Northwest Passage aboard the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Both ships disappeared, and the fate of the 129-man crew remained a mystery for more than 170 years. The wrecks were finally discovered near King William Island in 2014 and 2016.

Preserved beneath the Arctic ice, the ships revealed grim evidence: severed bones and signs of cannibalism. DNA analysis confirmed that Captain James Fitzjames was among the dead. Poisoning from poorly sealed canned food is believed to have contributed to the crew’s deaths.

Today, the site is protected as a national historical monument.

It’s difficult to imagine how many secrets and stories lie buried in the deep. From forgotten cargo vessels to colossal warships, each wreck tells a chapter of human history. These ships are like underwater mystery novels, waiting to be discovered.

Next time you stand by the sea, take a moment to think about what may lie beneath the waves.