# List of shipwrecks in 1997

The list of shipwrecks in 1997 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1997.
table of contents :
| ← 1996 1997 1998 → ||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr |
| May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
| Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Unknown date ||||
| References ||||

## January
### 1 January

List of shipwrecks: 1 January 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Debra D | United States | With no one aboard, the 182-gross ton, 101.6-foot (31.0 m) fishing vessel caught fire while moored at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fire destroyed her bridge and accommodation spaces, and she was declared a constructive total loss. She later was completely rebuilt and placed back in service. |

### 18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Pacific Alliance | United States | The crab-fishing vessel sank in bad weather with the loss of four lives off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. |

### 21 January

List of shipwrecks: 21 January 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sandra W | United States | The 49-foot (14.9 m) fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) east of Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. The fishing vessel Green Hope ( United States) rescued her entire crew of three from a life raft. |

### 25 January

List of shipwrecks: 25 January 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS Tolman | United States Navy | The decommissioned fast minelayer, formerly a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer, was sunk as a target. |

### 30 January

List of shipwrecks: 30 January 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rosie G | United States | The 80-foot (24.4 m) crab-fishing vessel sank due to a leaking crab tank in the Bering Sea approximately 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) northwest of Unalaska on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. The fishing vessel Handler ( United States) rescued her entire crew of six from a life raft. |

## February
### 12 February

List of shipwrecks: 12 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jessie C | United States | The retired 65-foot (19.8 m) crew boat was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Holgate, New Jersey, at 39°28.501′N 074°11.631′W﻿ / ﻿39.475017°N 74.193850°W﻿ / 39.475017; -74.193850﻿ (Jessie C). |

### 13 February

List of shipwrecks: 13 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Tokio Express | Germany | This container ship on a voyage from Rotterdam bound for New York was hit by a rogue wave about 20 miles (32 km) off Land's End (Cornwall). The ship righted herself and survived but lost 62 shipping containers overboard, one releasing just under 5 million Lego pieces. |

### 18 February

List of shipwrecks: 18 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Magic Minnow | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) crab-fishing vessel was destroyed by an engine room explosion and fire in Gastineau Channel in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. |

### 19 February

List of shipwrecks: 19 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lisa Jo | United States | The 82-foot (25.0 m) fishing vessel ran aground, capsized, and sank without loss of life in Akun Bay (54°15′N 165°30′W﻿ / ﻿54.250°N 165.500°W﻿ / 54.250; -165.500﻿ (Akun Bay)) on the coast of Akun Island in the Aleutian Islands after her operator – who was the only person on board – fell asleep at her wheel. |

### 27 February

List of shipwrecks: 27 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS Picking | United States Navy | The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target . |

### 28 February

List of shipwrecks: 28 February 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jennie D | United States | The 35-foot (10.7 m) herring-fishing vessel ran aground and sank at Cape Paramanof (58°18′20″N 153°03′30″W﻿ / ﻿58.30556°N 153.05833°W﻿ / 58.30556; -153.05833﻿ (Cape Paramanof)) on the coast of Afognak Island in Alaska′s Kodiak Archipelago after her engine failed. Her crew of two abandoned ship in a skiff and were rescued by the cutter USCGC Roanoke Island ( United States Coast Guard). |

## March
### 1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Novic | United States | The 37-foot (11.3 m) longline cod-fishing vessel sank at English Bay, Alaska. Her crew of two survived. |

### 5 March

List of shipwrecks: 5 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Vikartindur | Germany | The container ship was beached on the south coast of Iceland. Declared a constructive total loss, she was scrapped in situ. |

### 23 March

List of shipwrecks: 23 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Coral | United States | The 43-foot (13.1 m) longline fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of Alaska. Her crew of two survived. |

### 26 March

List of shipwrecks: 26 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cita | Antigua and Barbuda | Cita The cargo ship ran aground at Newfoundland Point, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. She subsequently sank. All seven crew were rescued. |

### 28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kateri i Radës | Albania | Tragedy of Otranto: The motorboat was hit by Sibilia ( Italian Navy) in the Strait of Otranto. She capsized and sank with the loss of 83 lives |

### 30 March

List of shipwrecks: 30 March 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eight LTTE boats | Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam | Sri Lankan Civil War: Action off Mullaitivu: One Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) explosive motorboat was shelled and blown up by SLNS Parakramabahu ( Sri Lanka Navy). Seven other LTTE explosive motorboats and/or assault boats were sunk by other Sri Lanka Navy warships 20 miles (32 km) east of Mullaitivu. |

## April
### 16 April

List of shipwrecks: 16 April 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sea Mint | United States | The 54-foot (16 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago. No one was aboard her at the time. |

### 30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| La Fidèle | French Navy | The La Prudente-class netlayer exploded and sank in the English Channel off Cherbourg, Seine-Maritime with the loss of five of her sixteen crew. |

## May
### 4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| King Cruiser | Thailand | The ferry ran aground on the Anemone Reef, Andaman Sea, ten nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) off the Phi Phi Islands. All on board, in excess of 560 people, were rescued. |

### 9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Beluga | United States | The 17-foot (5.2 m) pleasure craft was stranded on boulders on the coast of Cheval Island (59°46′N 149°31′W﻿ / ﻿59.767°N 149.517°W﻿ / 59.767; -149.517﻿ (Cheval Island)) in Resurrection Bay on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska. The four people aboard abandoned her and were rescued by a United States Coast Guard helicopter. |

### 12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS Richard S. Edwards | United States Navy | The decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was sunk as a target in Pacific Ocean off Kauai, Hawaii. |

### 16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Trident | United States | The 26-foot (7.9 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. The only person on board survived. |

### 29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Columbia | United States | The 75-foot (22.9 m) fish tender was destroyed by an engine room fire off the Barren Islands off the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived. |

## June
### 11 June

List of shipwrecks: 11 June 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rothenbach I | United States | The retired 165-foot (50.3 m) barge – previously the United States Navy non-self-propelled fuel oil barge YON-97 – was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean off Cape May, New Jersey, at 38°53.368′N 074°39.800′W﻿ / ﻿38.889467°N 74.663333°W﻿ / 38.889467; -74.663333﻿ (Rothenbach I). |

### 12 June

List of shipwrecks: 12 June 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Libra | United States | The retired 195-foot (59.4 m) gravel barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) off Ocean City, New Jersey, at 39°10.801′N 074°32.741′W﻿ / ﻿39.180017°N 74.545683°W﻿ / 39.180017; -74.545683﻿ (Libra). |

### 23 June

List of shipwrecks: 23 June 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mark Christopher | United States | The 49-foot (14.9 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Southeast Alaska 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) west of Sitka, Alaska. Her entire crew of five survived. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date June 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kathy & Maria | United States | The retired 64-foot (19.5 m) barge was cut in half and the two halves were scuttled separately as artificial reefs in the North Atlantic Ocean 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) off Ocean City, New Jersey, on 22 and 23 June 1997. One half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Kathy," was scuttled at 39°10.719′N 074°33.259′W﻿ / ﻿39.178650°N 74.554317°W﻿ / 39.178650; -74.554317﻿ (Kathy & Maria ("Kathy")). The other half, a 32-foot (9.8 m) section dubbed "Maria," was scuttled at 39°10.814′N 074°33.044′W﻿ / ﻿39.180233°N 74.550733°W﻿ / 39.180233; -74.550733﻿ (Kathy & Maria ("Maria")). |

## July
### 2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Diamond Grace | Panama | The supertanker ran aground in Tokyo Bay four nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off Yokohama. |

### 4 July

List of shipwrecks: 4 July 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Maurelle | United States | The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller suffered an explosion which ignited a fire that destroyed her off Southeast Alaska approximately 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) northwest of Cape Spencer. Her crew of three survived. |

### 20 July

List of shipwrecks: 20 July 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Miss Mari | United States | The 28-foot (8.5 m) longline fishing vessel sank southwest of Elrington Island (60°00′N 148°03′W﻿ / ﻿60.000°N 148.050°W﻿ / 60.000; -148.050﻿ (Elrington Island)) in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The fishing vessel Coho II ( United States) rescued the only person on board. |
| Pasqualle | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska west of Cape Fairweather (58°48′30″N 137°56′45″W﻿ / ﻿58.80833°N 137.94583°W﻿ / 58.80833; -137.94583﻿ (Cape Fairweather)) on the coast of Southeast Alaska after gear shifted and caused her to flood. The only person aboard survived. |

### 22 July

List of shipwrecks: 22 July 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS Stoddard | United States Navy | The decommissioned Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk in the Pacific Ocean 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) north-northwest of Kauai, Hawaii at 22°47′39.2″N 160°36′41″W﻿ / ﻿22.794222°N 160.61139°W﻿ / 22.794222; -160.61139﻿ ("USS Stoddard (DD-566)) by explosive charges planted by SEAL Team One. |

### 26 July

List of shipwrecks: 26 July 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Quin Delta | United States | The 90-foot (27.4 m) fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Bristol Bay off the coast of Alaska. Her crew of three abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by other fishing vessels. |

## August
### 2 August

List of shipwrecks: 2 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS Southerland | United States Navy | The decommissioned Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a missile target in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 34°57′N 122°08′W﻿ / ﻿34.950°N 122.133°W﻿ / 34.950; -122.133﻿ ("USS Southerland (DD-743)). |

### 7 August

List of shipwrecks: 7 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| ST-18 | United States | Secured to the sunken wreck of the tug Rockland County by a heavy hawser, the retired 242-foot (73.8 m) tanker barge was scuttled with demolition charges as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km; 4.1 mi) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, in 70 feet (21 m) of water at 40°07.930′N 073°55.942′W﻿ / ﻿40.132167°N 73.932367°W﻿ / 40.132167; -73.932367﻿ (ST-18). Her wreck is nicknamed "the Fisherman barge." |

### 13 August

List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Blue Fiord | United States | The 38-foot (11.6 m) salmon seiner sank off Evans Island in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska due to flooding caused by the failure of a circulation pump. Her crew of four survived. |
| Gail S | United States | The 80-foot (24.4 m) tug capsized and sank with the loss of one life in Bristol Bay approximately 130 miles (210 km) north of Cold Bay, Alaska, while towing a 240-foot (73.2 m) barge. Four crew members survived. The barge remained tethered to the sunken Gail S and was salvaged. |

### 14 August

List of shipwrecks: 14 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Blue Ox | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) longline fishing vessel sank 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) southwest of Homer, Alaska. Her crew of three survived. |

### 24 August

List of shipwrecks: 24 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cry Havoc | United States | With no one on board, the 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Ugashik, Alaska. |
| Myrtle D | United States | The 33-foot (10.1 m) salmon troller was wrecked without loss of life at Elfin Cove, Alaska, after her operator fell asleep at her wheel. |

### 25 August

List of shipwrecks: 25 August 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| South Wind | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner was wrecked at Sand Point, Alaska. Her two crew members survived. |

## September
### 8 September

List of shipwrecks: 8 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Fierté Gondávienne | Haiti | The sailing vessel sank in the Windward Passage with the loss of up to 400 lives. |

### 10 September

List of shipwrecks: 10 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ronny | United States | With no one on board, the 46-foot (14.0 m) salmon seiner ran aground and sank in Stepovak Bay (55°40′N 159°50′W﻿ / ﻿55.667°N 159.833°W﻿ / 55.667; -159.833﻿ (Stepovak Bay)) on the Gulf of Alaska coast of the Alaska Peninsula in Alaska. |

### 15 September

List of shipwrecks: 15 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jerry | United States | The retired 42-foot (12.8 m) tug was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 6.5 nautical miles (12.0 km; 7.5 mi) off Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, in 80 feet (24 m) of water at 39°37.757′N 074°00.828′W﻿ / ﻿39.629283°N 74.013800°W﻿ / 39.629283; -74.013800﻿ (Jerry). |

### 22 September

List of shipwrecks: 22 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Troika | United States | The 50-foot (15 m) crab-fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea about 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) southeast of Saint Paul Island in the Pribilof Islands. Three members of her four-man crew put on survival suits and survived, and they were rescued by the fishing vessel Gala Maureen ( United States); the fourth, her captain, was not wearing a survival suit and died of hypothermia. |

### 24 September

List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Victoria Ann | United States | After a hull plank gave way, the 42-foot (13 m) seiner ran aground and sank in Hidden Basin, Ugak Bay, Alaska. |

### 27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Trina | United States | The 42-foot (13 m) longline cod-fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Gulf of Alaska near Perl Island off the coast of Alaska. The only person aboard abandoned ship in a life raft and was rescued by the fishing vessel Deva ( United States). |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nina T | United States | The 70-foot (21 m) fishing trawler was scuttled sometime in September in 100 feet (30 m) of water off Eastern Point in Gloucester, Massachusetts, at 42°34.133′N 070°40.522′W﻿ / ﻿42.568883°N 70.675367°W﻿ / 42.568883; -70.675367﻿ (Nina T). |

## October
### 6 October

List of shipwrecks: 6 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Coastal Trader | United States | The 168.5-foot (51.4 m) fish tender′s crew of seven abandoned her 70 nautical miles (130 km; 81 mi) off Cape Muzon on Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska near Dixon Entrance after she caught fire during a voyage from Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea to Seattle, Washington. United States Coast Guard helicopters rescued her crew, and a salvage vessel towed her into port. |

### 8 October

List of shipwrecks: 8 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS YON-81 | United States Navy | Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 165-foot (50 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°01.832′N 073°59.677′W﻿ / ﻿40.030533°N 73.994617°W﻿ / 40.030533; -73.994617﻿ (USS YON-81). Her wreck is known as the "Captain Ed Schmidiger" barge. |
| USS YON-84 | United States Navy | Loaded with discarded tires, the decommissioned 174-foot (53 m) non-self-propelled fuel oil barge was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) off Mantoloking, New Jersey, at 40°00.587′N 073°59.391′W﻿ / ﻿40.009783°N 73.989850°W﻿ / 40.009783; -73.989850﻿ (USS YON-84). Her wreck is known as "Ocean Wreck Divers III." |

### 11 October

List of shipwrecks: 11 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sea Glider | United States | The 32-foot (9.8 m) salmon seiner sank in the Gulf of Alaska near the Barren Islands in the Kodiak Archipelago. A United States Coast Guard helicopter rescued her entire crew of four from a life raft. |

### 13 October

List of shipwrecks: 13 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Anna T | United States | The 27-foot (8.2 m) salmon seiner was burned and sank in Prince William Sound on the south-central coast of Alaska. The only person aboard survived. |

### 26 October

List of shipwrecks: 26 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Loose Goose Too | United States | The 26-foot (7.9 m) cabin cruiser disappeared in Kachemak Bay in Cook Inlet on the south-central coast of Alaska with the loss of both people on board. |

### 27 October

List of shipwrecks: 27 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sand Kite | United Kingdom | The cargo ship struck one of the piers of the Thames Barrier and sank. Later raised, repaired and returned to service. |

### 28 October

List of shipwrecks: 28 October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Memories | United States | After her operator fell asleep at her wheel, the 49-foot (14.9 m) shrimp pot fishing vessel ran aground and sank in Wrangell Narrows in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of two survived. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date October 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Janet | United States | The 85-foot (26 m) decommissioned tugboat was scuttled as an artificial reef in 97 feet (30 m) of water off Okaloosa County, Florida. |

## November
### 2 November

List of shipwrecks: 2 November 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Northern Voyager | United States | While undergoing sea trials after a refit, the 120-foot (36.6 m), 196-gross register ton fishing vessel sank without loss of life in 175 feet (53 m) of water in the Atlantic Ocean off Gloucester, Massachusetts, 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) east of Eastern Point Light at 42°34.451′N 070°36.295′W﻿ / ﻿42.574183°N 70.604917°W﻿ / 42.574183; -70.604917﻿ (Northern Voyager). |

### 12 November

List of shipwrecks: 12 November 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Elizabeth | United States | The 47-foot (14.3 m) dive boat sank near Metlakatla, Alaska, after her cargo shifted. All four people on board survived. |

### 17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Constitution | United States | The ocean liner sank in the Pacific Ocean 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) north of Hawaii whilst under tow to the shipbreakers. |

### 19 November

List of shipwrecks: 19 November 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Green Lily | Bahamas | The cargo ship ran aground at Bressay, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom after her engine failed in a storm. All fifteen crew were rescued by the Lerwick lifeboat and a helicopter, although the winchman of the helicopter was killed after his winchline had to be cut. |

### 20 November

List of shipwrecks: 20 November 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| September Song | United States | The 33-foot (10 m) longline cod-fishing vessel flooded and sank in the Gulf of Alaska off Southeast Alaska southwest of Baranof Island (58°57′N 152°15′W﻿ / ﻿58.950°N 152.250°W﻿ / 58.950; -152.250﻿ (Barren Islands)) after her scuppers became clogged with fish. Both crew members survived. |

## December
### 14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| HMAS Swan | Royal Australian Navy | The decommissioned River-class destroyer escort was scuttled in the Indian Ocean approximately 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) from Point Picquet near Dunsborough, Western Australia, at 33°33′02″S 115°06′02″E﻿ / ﻿33.55056°S 115.10056°E﻿ / -33.55056; 115.10056 to serve as a recreational dive site. |
| The Living Christ | Haiti | The sailing ship sank off the Île de Gonâve, Haiti, with the loss of about 40 lives. There were 15 survivors reported. |

### 19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Golden Eagle | United States | The retired 80-foot (24.4 m) fishing trawler was scuttled as an artificial reef in the North Atlantic Ocean 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km; 4.1 mi) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, at 40°08.190′N 073°56.100′W﻿ / ﻿40.136500°N 73.935000°W﻿ / 40.136500; -73.935000﻿ (Golden Eagle). |
| Restorer | United States | While under tow with the retired fishing trawler Golden Eagle ( United States) to a location 3.6 nautical miles (6.7 km; 4.1 mi) off Sea Girt, New Jersey, to be scuttled as an artificial reef, the retired 62-foot (18.9 m) tug sank unexpectedly in the North Atlantic Ocean at 40°08.005′N 073°56.025′W﻿ / ﻿40.133417°N 73.933750°W﻿ / 40.133417; -73.933750﻿ (Restorer). |

### 22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Callisto | United States | The 36-foot (11.0 m) salmon troller sank approximately 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) south of Sitka, Alaska. The only person aboard survived. |

### 30 December

List of shipwrecks: 30 December 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Happy Hooker II | United States | The 28-foot (8.5 m) dive boat iced up, dragged her anchor, and sank in Alitak Bay 56°50′N 154°10′W﻿ / ﻿56.833°N 154.167°W﻿ / 56.833; -154.167﻿ (Alitak Bay) on the coast of Alaska′s Kodiak Island. All three people aboard survived. |
| Merchant Patriot | United Kingdom | The ship sprang a leak in her engine room and was abandoned off the Bahamas. Declared a constructive total loss, she was towed to Freeport, Bahamas for scrapping. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Catalina | United States | Catalina, June 2011 The passenger ferry foundered at Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. |

## Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1997 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Anafi | nationality unknown | Carrying a cargo of coal, the ship caught fire in the Piraeus Roads, Greece and was abandoned. |
| Brown Bear | United States | The motor vessel, a former research ship, was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California, in late 1997 or in January 1998. |
| Christiana | Norway | The ketch foundered in the North Sea, and sank at a depth of 500 metres (1,640 ft) off Mandal, Norway. Later raised and repaired. |
| HMBS David Tucker | Royal Bahamas Defence Force | The decommissioned Cape-class patrol vessel was sunk as an artificial reef in the Bahamas. |
| Mr. J | United States | The crab processor – a former PCE-842-class patrol craft and auxiliary minelayer – was towed out into the Pacific Ocean and scuttled sometime in the 1990s. |