Newfoundland may be a remote and frozen island located some 450 kilometres off the coast of Canada, but it has captured the world’s attention for a number of notorious shipwrecks that have occurred in its treacherous waters. The Titanic, of course, sank in the chilly Atlantic Ocean surrounding Newfoundland in 1912, leading to one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history.
Aside from the Titanic, Newfoundland has a dark history of being the site of numerous shipwrecks. Just last year, in February 2022, the Galician vessel ‘Villa de Pitanxo’, disappeared in these waters with 12 sailors on board found missing. Ultimately, only three crew members managed to escape. The ‘Monte Galineiro’, another Galician vessel, sank in 2009 as a result of two engine-room explosions, but thankfully, all of the 23 sailors on board survived.
Furthermore, Newfoundland saw disaster in 1982 when the oil tanker Ocean Ranger sank after a severe storm, killing 84 of the crew members. Interestingly, the tragedy was again on 15 February, which was also the same day as the ‘Villa de Pitanxo’ sinking.
Another terrible event occurred in 1565 when 84 sailors from the Spanish ship ‘Ballenero San Juan’ lost their lives in Newfoundland waters. The wreckage of the ship was only discovered years after the Titanic.
Newfoundland is one of the world’s most treacherous water areas. Despite being a fascinating place to visit, it poses a serious threat to ships and creates many obstacles for sailors. The freezing climate, which can drop to between -5°C and -30°C, coupled with the more than 40,000 icebergs surrounding the area, make navigating these waters extremely challenging. Yet, the allure of this remote island persists, and sailors continue to brave the challenges of the North Atlantic.
