# List of shipwrecks in May 1872

The list of shipwrecks in May 1872 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during May 1872.

## 1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Amirdavully | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her sixteen crew were rescued. |
| Ardbeg | United Kingdom | The ship was driven into by a dhony in a cyclone at Madras and was severely damaged. She was then driven ashore and wrecked with the loss of eight of her twelve crew. She was on a voyage from Portsmouth, Hampshire to Madras. |
| Armenian | United Kingdom | The ship was driven into Hotspur ( United Kingdom) and then driven ashore and wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 23 crew were rescued. |
| Bessie Gardner | Canada | The schooner, which had been missing for some time, was discovered in a waterlogged condition by the schooner Oliver Bridges ( Canada) 150 nautical miles (280 km) off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, United States. Two dead crew members were on board. |
| Burlington | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her eighteen crew were rescued. |
| Duprey de Lorne | France | The barque was driven out to sea in a cyclone at Madras. |
| Evelyn | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in a cyclone at Madras. She was refloated. |
| Golconda | United Kingdom | The ship struck an iceberg and sank off Cape Ray, Newfoundland Colony with the loss of fifteen of her 24 crew. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Quebec City, Canada. |
| Hotspur | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship sank in a cyclone at Madras with the loss of five of her 35 crew. Survivors were rescued by rocket apparatus. |
| Hydroos | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 30 crew were rescued. |
| Hydroos | India | The brig was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her fourteen crew were rescued. |
| Inverness-shire | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her twenty crew were rescued. |
| Jane Almond | United Kingdom | The barque was destroyed by fire at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. |
| Joachim Heinrich | Germany | The schooner was wrecked. She was on a voyage from the coast of Patagonia to Buenos Aires, Argentina. |
| John Scott | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her seventeen crew were rescued. |
| Joy Soondaree | India | The brig was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras with the loss of two of her twenty crew. |
| Juggernathaprasand | India | The brig was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 22 crew were rescued. |
| Kingdom | Belgium | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her sixteen crew were rescued. |
| Mary Le Blanc | United Kingdom | The brig was driven ashore and wrecked on Castle Island, Bermuda. She was on a voyage from Port-au-Prince, Haiti to Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
| Miser | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was driven ashore in a cyclone at Madras. Her 40 crew were rescued. |
| Montezuma | France | The steamship ran aground at Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure. She was on a voyage from Havre de Grâce to Brazil. She was refloated the next day. |
| Mootoooomarasawmy | India | The 141-ton dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras with the loss of one of her fifteen crew. |
| Mootoooomarasawmy | India | The 183-ton dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her sixteen crew were rescued. |
| John Scott | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in a cyclone at Madras. |
| Sir Robert Seppings | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. All 400 people on board were rescued by rocket apparatus. |
| Stree Kristnamoorthee | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 36 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Lutchmynurstruloo | India | The dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her wleven crew were rescued. |
| Stree Nagaswernsawmy | India | The sloop was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her fifteen crew were rescued. |
| Stree Ramooloo | India | The barque was driven ashore in a cyclone at Madras. Her 34 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Ramooloo | India | The dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her fourteen crew were rescued. |
| Stree Runganayakulu | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 31 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Sambrajaputtaby Ramasawmy | India | The dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her eighteen crew were rescued. |
| Stree Veerabadrasawmy | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras with the loss of three of her 31 crew. |
| Stree Veeraragavasawmy | India | The barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 36 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Vencatayswerloo | India | The 290-ton barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 40 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Vencatayswerloo | India | The 405-ton barque was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her 30 crew were rescued. |
| Stree Vencatayswerloo | India | The schooner was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her seventeen crew were rescued. |
| Ungalataramayswera | India | The dhony was wrecked in a cyclone at Madras. Her fifteen crew were rescued. |
| Unnamed | India | The dhony was driven into Ardbeg ( United Kingdom) in a cyclone at Madras. She was the driven ashore and wrecked. |

## 2 May

List of shipwrecks: 2 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Coringa | United Kingdom | The ship sprang a leak and was abandoned in the Indian Ocean. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Bombay, India. |
| Holmside | United Kingdom | The collier collided with the collier Earl of Durham in the River Thames and was beached. |
| Precursor | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at Malta. She was refloated. |

## 3 May

List of shipwrecks: 3 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Flora | Norway | The brig was wrecked on Bonaire. She was on a voyage from Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands to Curaçao, Curaçao and Dependencies. |
| Noor Jehan | United Kingdom | The barque collided with the full-rigged ship Carin ( United Kingdom) and sank in the English Channel between Portland, Dorset and Start Point, Devon. Her crew were rescued by Carin. Noor Jehan was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Fiume, Austria-Hungary. |
| Prima Donna | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked near Løkken-Vrå, Denmark. Her crew were rescued. |
| Richard Roper | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore in Ballochney Bay. Her crew were rescued. |
| Saint Martin | Belgium | The fishing smack was driven ashore and wrecked at Wick, Caithness, United Kingdom. Her eight crew were rescued by a coble. |
| Scud | United Kingdom | The lugger struck the Spanish Ledges, off St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, and sank. Her crew were rescued. |
| Thomas | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Moville, County Donegal. |

## 4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Christina | United Kingdom | The sloop was driven ashore on Inishbofin, County Donegal. |
| Darien | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Savannah River, She was on a voyage from Savannah, Georgia, United States to Liverpool, Lancashire. |
| Etoile | France | The brig was wrecked at "Ludmore Point", Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. Her eight crew were rescued by the lifeboat Rescue ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution). Etoile was on a voyage from Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine to Riga, Russia. |
| Georgiana | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore north of Maryport, Cumberland. She was refloated on 6 May and taken in to Maryport. |
| John and Mary | United Kingdom | The schooner struck rocks off St Patrick's Island, County Dublin and sank. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Dublin. |
| Marie Louise | France | The ship ran aground on the Hook Sand, in the Solent. She was on a voyage from Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine to Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. |
| Sherlock | United Kingdom | The brig foundered in the North Sea 47 nautical miles (87 km) off Texel, North Holland, Netherlands. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to the Nieuwe Diep. |

## 5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eva | United Kingdom | The schooner was wrecked on Rockabill Island, County Dublin. Her crew were rescued. |
| Lydie and Azeline | Sweden | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at Agger, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Charlestown, Cornwall, United Kingdom to Stockholm. |
| Mina | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore on "Refi Bragen", Denmark. Her crew were rescued by the Thisted Lifeboat. Mina was on a voyage from Clackmannan to Gothenburg, Sweden. She was refloated with the assistance of the steamship Aleandra ( United Kingdom) and towed in to Kristiansand, Norway. |
| Royal Victoria | United Kingdom | The schooner collided with the steamship Annalong ( United Kingdom) and was beached in the Belfast Lough near Carrickfergus, County Antrim. Her four crew were rescued the next day by the Coastguard. |
| Tadmor | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Anticosti Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was on a voyage from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire to Quebec City, Canada. |

## 6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Castle Eden | Burma | The ship sank at Rangoon. |
| Hugh M. Griffie | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at Pullaheeney, County Sligo. |

## 7 May

List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Gem | United Kingdom | The schooner struck the quayside at Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure, France and sank. She was on a voyage from Charlestown, Cornwall to Rouen, Seine-Inférieure. She was refloated on 27 May. |
| Jean Baptiste | France | The ship was driven ashore. She was on a voyage from Seaham, County Durham, United Kingdom to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme. She was refloated and taken in to Lowestoft, Suffolk, United Kingdom. |
| Lake Huron | Canada | The clipper was driven ashore by ice and wrecked on Anticosti Island, Nova Scotia. She was on a voyage from Montreal, Quebec to Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom. |
| L. H. de Weber | United States | The ship was driven ashore at "Castlehill". She was on a voyage from Ardrossan, Ayrshire, United Kingdom to Providence, Rhode Island. She was refloated. |
| Ostrich | United Kingdom | The ship collided with Betsy ( United Kingdom) and sank off Lundy Island, Devon. Her crew were rescued by Betsy. |

## 8 May

List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Thames | United Kingdom | The steamship caught fire at West Hartlepool, County Durham. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of the tug John Bull ( United Kingdom). |
| Unnamed | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground on the East Hoyle Bank, in Liverpool Bay. |

## 9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rhodes | United Kingdom | The schooner collided with the steamship Mark Anthony ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Northfleet, Kent. Her crew were rescued. |

## 10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rival | United States | The ship was sighted in the Atlantic Ocean (28°14′S 43°35′E﻿ / ﻿28.233°S 43.583°E﻿ / -28.233; 43.583) whilst on a voyage from Rangoon, Burma to Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands, more than 22 people. |
| Thomas Adams | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at Dundee, Forfarshire. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Dundee. |
| Wanderer | United States | The brig was wrecked in the "Levianski Islands". Her crew were rescued by Moorburg ( United States). Wanderer was on a voyage from San Francisco, California to Nicholaieff, Russia. |

## 11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Minnie | United Kingdom | The yacht capsized and sank in the River Thames at Grays Thurrock, Essex with the loss of one of the three people on board. |
| Norwich | United Kingdom | The steamship foundered at sea. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Lagos. |
| St. Patrick | United Kingdom | The steamship sank at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was refloated the next day. |

## 12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Elizabeth and Ann | United Kingdom | The sloop was run into by the steamship Dodo ( United Kingdom and sank at Cork. Her crew were rescued. |
| Nooit Gedacht | Netherlands | The ship collided with the steamship Pascal ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Scheldt. Her crew were rescued. |

## 13 May

List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Little Dorritt | United Kingdom | The yacht was wrecked on the Dogger Bank, in the Irish Sea off the coast of County Wexford. Both crew were rescued by the Wexford Lifeboat. She was on a voyage from Greenock, Renfrewshire to Weymouth, Dorset. |
| Impulse | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked at Ochre Pit Point, Newfoundland Colony. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Harbour Grace, Newfoundland Colony. |
| Lizzie Tivin | United Kingdom | The smack ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, Kent and sank. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Dartmouth, Devon to Hull, Yorkshire. She was later refloated and taken in the River Thames. |
| Staffa | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the Shipwash Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk and was damaged. She was on a voyage from Hull, Yorkshire to Constantinople, Ottoman Empire and Odessa, Russia. She was refloated and taken in to Harwich, Essex. |
| Uncle Tom | United Kingdom | The Mersey Flat ran aground on the East Hoyle Sandbank, in Liverpool Bay and sank. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Garston, Lancashire to Caernarfon. |
| Unnamed | Italy | The brig collided with a Greek brig and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Carloforte, Sardinia. Her crew were rescued by the Greek vessel. |

## 14 May

List of shipwrecks: 14 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alumina | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. She was on a voyage from Saint John to Liverpool, Lancashire. She was refloated but was consequently condemned. |
| Maria Francisco | Italy | The barque ran aground at Gibraltar. She was on a voyage from Odessa, Russia to Cork, United Kingdom. She was refloated and taken in to Gibraltar in a leaky condition. |
| Try | United Kingdom | The trow sank at Cardiff, Glamorgan. |

## 15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Frithiof | Norway | The barque ran aground at Gilleleje, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom to Stockholm, Sweden. She was refloated, but ran aground off "Spodsbjerg". She was refloated and taken in to Helsingør, Denmark in a leaky condition. |
| Isabelle | France | The schooner collided with the steamship West ( United Kingdom) and was abandoned in the English Channel. All on board were rescued by West. Isabelle was on a voyage from the Charente to Rouen, Seine-Inférieure. |

## 17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Andrew Johnson | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Sudpill, in the Elbe. She was on a voyage from the Guañape Islands, Peru to Hamburg, Germany. |
| Tripoli | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the Tuskar Rock and was wrecked. All 200 passengers were rescued. by the schooners Naiad and Spencer and the steamships Halcyon and Toward (all United Kingdom). Her 80 crew were taken off the next day by a tug. Tripoli was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |

## 18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rosevean | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground and capsized in the River Parrett. She was on a voyage from Ballinacurra, County Cork to Bridgwater, Somerset. She was righted. |
| Unnamed | Germany | The ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean (30°15′N 19°16′W﻿ / ﻿30.250°N 19.267°W﻿ / 30.250; -19.267). Her crew were rescued by Ocean Bell ( United Kingdom). The ship was on a voyage from Hamburg to the Peter the Great Gulf. |

## 21 May

List of shipwrecks: 21 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Minerva | Norway | The ship was driven ashore on Heligoland. She was on a voyage from Hamburg, Germany to New York, United States. She was refloated and put back to Cuxhaven, Germany in a leaky condition. |

## 22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Natalia | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on Anticosti Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was on a voyage from North Shields, Northumberland to Quebec City, Canada. She was refloated and resumed her voyage. |

## 23 May

List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Baltimore, and Lorenzo Semprun | Germany Spain | The steamship Baltimore collided with the steamship Lorenzo Semprun in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) off Hastings, Sussex, United Kingdom and was consequently beached at Hastings. All on board, 110 passengers plus her crew, were rescued by the Coastguard and the Hastings Lifeboat. Baltimore was on a voyage from Baltimore, Maryland, United States to Hamburg. She was refloated the next day and taken in to Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. She was subsequently repaired at Bremen. Lorenzo Semprun was on a voyage from Ålesund, Norway to Santander. She put in to Southampton in a severely damaged condition. |
| Oracle | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground and sank in Vefsnfjord. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from London to Vefsn, Norway. |
| Violet | United Kingdom | The ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Rio de Janeiro. |

## 24 May

List of shipwrecks: 24 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Bentinck | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked on the west coast of Africa between Lagos and Accra, Gold Coast. Her crew survived the wreck, but were attacked by the local inhabitants. |
| Bessie Rodgers | United Kingdom | The barque ran aground at Waterford. She was refloated. |
| Coila | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore south of Cronstadt, Russia. She was refloated on 27 May. |
| Fitzpatrick | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the Platters, off Holyhead, Anglesey. |
| Thais | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the East Hoyle Bank, in Liverpool Bay. She was on a voyage from Mostyn, Flintshire to Liverpool, Lancashire. She was refloated and taken in to Liverpool. |
| Four unnamed vessels | United Kingdom | The ships were driven ashore and wrecked between Lagos and Accra. |

## 25 May

List of shipwrecks: 25 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Evadne | United Kingdom | The barque was holed by ice and sank 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of St. Paul Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her crew survived. |
| George | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Mittelplatt, in the North Sea. She was on a voyage from West Hartlepool, County Durham to Geestemünde, Germany. She was refloated and completed her voyage. |
| Halcyon | United Kingdom | The steamship was wrecked on the North Chicken Rock, off the Tuskar Rock. All on board were rescued by the steamship Ruby ( United Kingdom). Halcyon was on a voyage from Liverpool to New York. |
| Josephine | United States | The schooner sprung a leak and sunk off Portland, Maine crew saved. |
| Lady Cecilia | United Kingdom | The brig was driven ashore on Skagen, Denmark. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Cronstadt, Russia. |
| Victoria | United Kingdom | The ship was holed by ice and sank 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of St. Paul Island. Her crew survived. |

## 26 May

List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Elaine | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at East London, Cape Colony. |
| Emma | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at East London. |
| Martha | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at the mouth of the Buffalo River. |
| Quanza | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore and wrecked at the mouth of the Buffalo River, Cape Colony. |
| Refuge | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at the mouth of the Buffalo River. |
| Shark | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at the mouht of the Buffalo River. |

## 27 May

List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Queen of May | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at East London. |
| Stella | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Port Beaufort, Cape Colony. |

## 28 May

List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Erimus | Netherlands | The steamship ran aground off Brielle, South Holland. |
| Jane Davie | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked east of East London, Cape Colony with the loss of a crew member. Survivors were rescued by the steamship Bismarck ( Germany) and the East London Lifeboat. Jane Davie was on a voyage from Rangoon, Burma to Liverpool, Lancashire. |
| Phoenix | | The steamship was destroyed by fire near Trois-Rivières, Quebec with the loss of a crew member. |

## 29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ant | United Kingdom | The ship was destroyed by fire at Gatehouse of Fleet, Wigtownshire. She was on a voyage from Whitehaven, Cumberland to Gatehouse of Fleet. |
| Dalton | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Walney Island, Lancashire. She was on a voyage from Ramsey, Isle of Man to Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire. |
| Emperor | Canada | While steaming at night in fog during a voyage from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to Portland, Maine, United States with about 80 passengers and crew aboard, the 175-foot (53 m), 600-gross register ton sidewheel paddle steamer struck Eastern Ledge, a reef off Seal Island in Penobscot Bay on the evening of 28 May. She rolled over and sank without loss of life at 43°53′38″N 068°43′45″W﻿ / ﻿43.89389°N 68.72917°W﻿ / 43.89389; -68.72917﻿ (Emperor) early on 29 May. |
| Endeavour | United Kingdom | The tug suffered a boiler explosion and sank in the English Channel off Eastbourne, Sussex. Her crew survived. |
| Rover | Isle of Man | The dandy rigged lugger collided with the lugger Chief Templar ( Isle of Man) and sank in the Irish Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork. Her crew were rescued by Chief Templar. |
| Thames | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Alderney, Channel Islands. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Adra, Spain. |
| Ysusguiza | India | The barque ran aground at Chittagong and became hogged. |

## 30 May

List of shipwrecks: 30 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Caledonia | New Zealand | The 60-ton schooner was dashed on rocks at the mouth of the Catlins River. |
| Nicolas Etienne Jenne | France | The ship was wrecked at "Kootana", Africa. |
| Paul | France | The ship was wrecked at "Leckie", Africa. |
| San Antonio | Flag unknown | The ship was towed in to Gibraltar in a derelict condition. She had been on a voyage from Gallipoli, Ottoman Empire to Saint Petersburg, Russia. |

## 31 May

List of shipwrecks: 31 May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Counsellor | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Danube at Gorgova, Ottoman Empire. |
| Esk | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Danube at Gorgova. |
| Holly Bough | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Berdyanski, Russia. She was refloated and repaired. |
| York | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Danube at Gorgova. |

## Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in May 1872 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alma, and Siam | French Navy Sweden | The barque Siam collided with the Alma-class ironclad Alma at Wusong, China and sank. She was on a voyage from Nagasaki, Japan to Wusong. Alma was consequently beached. |
| Alpha | Norway | The ship was wrecked on Grand Cay, Bahamas. Her crew were rescued. |
| Anna Margaretha | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore on Læsø, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Saint Petersburg, Russia. She was refloated and taken in to Fredrikshavn, Denmark, where she sprang a leak. |
| Antonia | Italy | The brig ran aground. She was on a voyage from Gallipoli, Ottoman Empire to Saint Petersburg. She was refloated and towed in to Gibraltar. |
| Aruim | Norway | The ship was driven ashore at Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick, Canada. She was on a voyage from Larvik to Quebec City, Canada. |
| A. W. Hutchings | United Kingdom | The ship struck the Brockbank and sank. She was on a voyage from Middlesbrough, Yorkshire to Calais, France. |
| Bertha Angele | France | The ship was abandoned at sea. She was on a voyage from the Île de Ré, Charente-Inférieure to Miquelon. |
| Berwick | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Quitasneno Reefs. She was on a voyage from Aspinwall, United States of Colombia to Cienfuegos, Cuba. |
| B. P. King | | The ship was wrecked in the Turks Islands. She was on a voyage from Saint John, New Brunswick to St. Jago de Cuba, Cuba. |
| Burnett | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Honfleur, Manche, France. |
| Calabar | United Kingdom | The ship was abandoned at sea. She was on a voyage from a port in Central America to Queenstown, County Cork. |
| Cambrian | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore on Prince Edward Island, Canada. |
| Chance | United Kingdom | The ship foundered at sea. She was on a voyage from Jersey, Channel Islands to Gaspé, Quebec, Canada. |
| Clara Sayers | New South Wales | The ship was wrecked on a reef off Rodrigues. She was on a voyage from Newcastle to Mauritius. |
| Cornelia | United Kingdom | The ship was sunk by ice. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Grimsby, Lincolnshire to Quebec City. |
| Dumfries | United Kingdom | The ship capsized off the Carsethorn Lighthouse, Wigtownshire. She was righted with assistance. |
| Ellen Bernard | United States | The ship was wrecked off Grand Bahama, Bahamas. She was on a voyage from Cienfuegos to New York. |
| Emma | Canada | The schooner collided with the tug Goliah ( Canada) and sank near Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| F. Pirandello | United States | The ship ran aground on the Sisters and was severely damaged. She was refloated. |
| Freitas Irmaos | Portugal | The ship ran aground on the Sisters and was severely damaged. She was on a voyage from Lisbon to Halifax. |
| Grace Sargeant | United Kingdom | The ship foundered in the Pacific Ocean before 25 May. Her crew were rescued. |
| Halcyon | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked in the Magdalen Islands, Nova Scotia. She was on a voyage from Quebec City, Canada to Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. |
| Halcyon | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Portrush, County Antrim. She was on a voyage from Londonderry to Portrush. |
| Isabel | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Brake Sand. She was on a voyage from London to Dublin. She was refloated and taken in to The Downs. |
| Katiagnes | United States | The ship was driven ashore on Fisherman Island Maine. She was on a voyage from New York to Saint John's, Newfoundland Colony. |
| Lady Westmoreland | United Kingdom | The barque ran aground on the White Island Reef and was severely damaged. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Quebec City. She was consequently condemned. |
| Laquilla | United States | The steamship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean before 7 May. |
| Laura | Portugal | The ship foundered off Cádiz, Spain. She was on a voyage from Bahia, Brazil to Oporto. |
| Lord Clyde | Newfoundland Colony | The ship was sunk by ice at Battle Harbour. |
| Lorton | Spain | The barque was wrecked in the "Goulos Islands", Spanish East Indies. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from London to Yokohama, Japan. |
| Lucia | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Holyhead, Anglesey. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Swansea, Glamorgan. |
| Margareta | Netherlands | The ship foundered at sea. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Goeree, Zeeland to Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. |
| Martha | Norway | The ship foundered near Pondicherry, India. Her crew were rescued on 5 May by Marthe (Flag unknown). |
| Mary Blane | United States | The ship was wrecked off Castle Island, Bermuda. She was on a voyage from Port-au-Prince, Haita to Boston, Massachusetts. |
| Monticello | United States | The sealer was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by the brigantine Louise ( France). |
| Norwa | China | The steamship struck a submerged object and was beached at Cutter Place. She was pon a voyage from Swatow to Shanghai. |
| Ornen | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Cape Tormentine. She was on a voyage from Halifax to Miramichi, New Brunswick. |
| Perseverance | United Kingdom | The ship collided with the steamship Eclair ( United Kingdom) and sank. |
| Peter | United Kingdom | The Mersey Flat ran aground on the West Hoyle Bank, in Liverpool Bay. |
| Retreiver | Newfoundland Colony | The sealer, a steamship, was sunk by ice at Battle Harbour. |
| Rhea Sylvia | United States | The ship ran aground on the Mucates Reefs. She was on a voyage from New York to Havana, Cuba. |
| Rientje | Netherlands | The schooner ran aground at Narva, Russia. Her crew were rescued. |
| Sandbach | United Kingdom | The ship was severely damaged at Demerara, British Guiana. |
| Sparkling Wave | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore by ice in the Dwina. |
| St. Paul's | Flag unknown | The ship was wrecked at Whitehead, Nova Scotia. She was on a voyage from New York to Quebec City. |
| Valparaíso | Chile | The steamship ran aground in the Chaco Narrows before 18 May. She broke in two and sank during salvage efforts. |
| Viking | British Guiana | The schooner sank near Albion. |
| Wasp | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked in the Magdalen Islands. She was on a voyage from Montreal to Antwerp, Belgium. |
| Unnamed | Russia | The lighter ran aground at Narva. Her crew were rescued. |