# List of shipwrecks in May 1840

The list of shipwrecks in May 1840 includes ships sunk, foundered, wrecked, grounded, or otherwise lost during May 1840.

## 1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Adrastus | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta, India. She was later refloated. |
| Allerton | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Brilliant | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. |
| Cheviot | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked near Cape Race, Newfoundland, British North America. All on board were rescued. She was on a voyage from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire to Quebec City, Lower Canada, British North America. |
| Clown | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Coringa Packet | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Elizabeth | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Look-in | New South Wales | The ship ran aground in the Western Channel. She was on a voyage from Launceston, Van Diemen's Land to Sydney. |
| Lucy | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Mariam | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Shepherdess | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Superbe | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| William | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| William Gales | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |
| Wilson | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly River at Calcutta. She was later refloated. |

## 2 May

List of shipwrecks: 2 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Curlew | United Kingdom | The schooner capsized at Spalding, Lincolnshire. |
| Emelie Frederike | Dantsic | The ship was driven ashore at Dantsic. She was on a voyage from Dantsic to London, United Kingdom. She was refloated on 30 May and taken into Dantsic. |
| Hannah | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground off Skagen, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Memel, Prussia to Grangemouth, Stirlingshire. Hannah was refloated and taken into Aalborg. |
| Robert Raikes | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground and was wrecked at Memel, Prussia. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Memel. Robert Raikes was refloated on 10 May and beached. |

## 3 May

List of shipwrecks: 3 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Devon | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Nore. Her crew were rescued. |
| Hannah | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground off Skagen, Denmark. she was on a voyage from Memel, Prussia to Grangemouth, Stirlingshire. Hanna was refloated and put into Frederikshavn, Denmark for repairs. |

## 4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eliza Welld | Trieste | The ship ran aground on the Grain Spit and was damaged. She was on a voyage from Trieste to London, United Kingdom. Eliza Welld was refloated and taken into Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom for repairs. |
| Jeanette | British North America | The ship was driven ashore on "Tuskar Island". Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Boston, Massachusetts, United States to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. |
| Perseverance | United Kingdom | The whaler was lost off the coast of Greenland. Her crew were rescued. |

## 5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Albion | United Kingdom | The ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from London to Quebec City, Lower Canada, British North America. |
| Atlantic | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked at Pacha Cove Newfoundland, British North America with the loss of one life. She was on a voyage from Dundee, Forfarshire to Quebec City. |
| Chase | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked near Stolp. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Dantzic. |
| John Dunscombe | New Zealand | The schooner broke her moorings and was driven on shore at Kapiti Island, New Zealand. There were no deaths. |

## 6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cybele | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore in the Demerara River. |
| Thomas | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground at Dundee, Forfarshire and was wrecked. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Dundee. |

## 7 May

List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Competent | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked at Bombay, India. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Bombay. |
| General Lawrence | United States | Great Natchez Tornado: The steamboat sank in the Mississippi River at Natchez, Mississippi with the loss of all on board. |
| Hinds | United States | Great Natchez Tornado: The steamboat was struck by a tornado at Natchez and deposited at Baton Rouge, Louisiana with the loss of 51 lives. |
| Jessie | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Drogheda, County Louth. She was on a voyage from Dublin to Troon, Ayrshire. She was refloated on 3 June and taken into Drogheda. |
| Prairie | United States | Great Natchez Tornado: The steamboat was wrecked at Natchez. |
| St. Lawrence | United States | Great Natchez Tornado: The steamboat was wrecked at Natchez. |

## 8 May

List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Goed Besluit | Netherlands | The ship sprang a leak and was beached at Brielle, South Holland. She was on a voyage from Hellevoetsluis, Zeeland to Saint Petersburg, Russia. |
| Ranger | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Shakespeare's Cliff, Dover, Kent. She was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to a Scottish port. Ranger was refloated and resumed her voyage. |

## 9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dove | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Mauritius. |
| Eliza | United Kingdom | The galiot was driven ashore and wrecked in Glenarm Bay. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to Belfast, County Antrim. |
| Euxine | United States | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Dauphin Island, Alabama. She was on a voyage from the Clyde to Mobile, Alabama. |
| Inca | United Kingdom | The ship struck the Blackwater Bank, in the Irish Sea and was damaged. She was abandoned 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Cork the next day. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Port Phillip and Sydney, New South Wales. |
| Industry | United Kingdom | The sloop was driven ashore and wrecked in Glenarm Bay. Her crew were rescued. |
| Lively | United Kingdom | The ship was run down and sunk in the Irish Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) south of the Calf of Man, Isle of Man. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Coleraine, County Antrim to Liverpool, Lancashire. |
| Patriot | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked at Mauritius. She was on a voyage from Singapore to Mauritius. |
| Recovery | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Newcombe Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to London. Recovery was refloated and resumed her voyage. |
| Stratford | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore at Mauritius. |
| Vulture | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Kuressaare, Russia. She was on a voyage from London to Saint Petersburg, Russia. |
| Wilsons | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Long Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex and was abandoned by all but her captain and mate. She was refloated with assistance from HMS Boxer ( Royal Navy) and towed into Ramsgate, Kent, where she arrived on 10 May. Wilsons was on a voyage from Livorno, Grand Duchy of Tuscany to Saint Petersburg. |

## 10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Arcturus | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Coatham, Yorkshire. All seventeen people on board were rescued. She was on a voyage from Sierra Leone to Sunderland, County Durham. |
| Clementice | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked off Bray, County Wicklow. Her crew were rescued. |
| Dorothy | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Herd Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of County Durham. She was refloated on 13 May. |
| Good Hope | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked near Huntcliffe, County Durham. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from King's Lynn, Norfolk to Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. |
| Good Intent | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore near Rawcliffe, Yorkshire. Her crew were rescued by the Redcar Lifeboat. She was on a voyage from King's Lynn to Newcastle upon Tyne. |
| Lily | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked near Scarborough, Yorkshire. |
| Millicent | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked near "Machios", New Brunswick, British North America. She was on a voyage from Hull, Yorkshire to Saint John, New Brunswick. |
| Milo | United Kingdom | The paddle steamer caught fire and sank at Sunderland, County Durham |
| Zwei Gebruders | Duchy of Holstein | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at Seaham, County Durham. She was on a voyage from Kiel to Leith, Lothian, United Kingdom. |

## 11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Arabian | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at Griffins Cove, Lower Canada, British North America. All on board were rescued. She was on a voyage from the Clyde to Quebec City, Lower Canada. |
| Catherina | United Kingdom | The galiot was wrecked on Flamborough Head, Yorkshire. She was on a voyage from Hull, Yorkshire to Sunderland, County Durham. |
| Cesias | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Ower Sand, in the North Sea. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Memel, Prussia to London. Cesias was subsequently towed into Harwich, Essex by HMRC Badger ( Board of Customs). |
| Monarch | United Kingdom | The paddle steamer struck a rock off St. Abbs Head, Berwickshire and was holed. Her passengers were taken off by Royal Adelaide ( United Kingdom). Monarch was on a voyage from London to Leith, Lothian, where she subsequently arrived. |

## 12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aimwell | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore near Darßer, Prussia. She was refloated on 26 May. |
| Chase | United Kingdom | The ship was sunk by ice off the west coast of Naissaar, Russia. All sixteen people on board were rescued by Canada ( United Kingdom). Chase was on a voyage from Hull, Yorkshire to Saint Petersburg, Russia. |
| Independence | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground off Falsterbo, Sweden. She was on a voyage from Dantsic to Weymouth, Dorset. Independence was refloated and put into Copenhagen, Denmark for repairs. |
| Thames | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Grain Spit, off the coast of Kent. |

## 13 May

List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Grampus | United States | The steamboat exploded and sank in the Mississippi River with the loss of two lives. |
| Hero | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore on Anticosti Island, Lower Canada, British North America. |
| Terpsichore | United States | The ship ran aground on the Merven Sand, in the North Sea. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana to Cuxhaven. Terpsichore was later refloated. |

## 15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Grant | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked in the Monkey River. |

## 16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Foland | France | The ship was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by Clifton ( United Kingdom). Foland was on a voyage from New York, United States to Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure. |

## 17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Erie | US | The whaling ship was grounded at Waitangi in New Zealand's Chatham Islands, and broke up over the following days. |
| José | Portugal | Slave Trade: The brig was run ashore and wrecked in the River Quillemane, Madagascar with the loss of 136 slaves. HMS Lily ( Royal Navy) rescued her crew and 324 slaves, who were taken to Mauritius. José was on a voyage from Madagascar to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| Noordstar | Netherlands | The ship was driven ashore at Stevns Klint, Zealand, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Ventava, Courland Governorate to Rotterdam, South Holland. Noordstar was refloated on 19 May and put into Helsingør. |

## 18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Greenfield | United States | The steamboat exploded and sank in the South Hadley Canal, Massachusetts with the loss of three lives. |

## 19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dalhousie Castle | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked at Bonny, Africa. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Bonny to Liverpool, Lancashire. |
| Lady Young | British North America | The ship was driven ashore at Waarde, Zeeland, Netherlands. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Hamburg. |

## 20 May

List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sylvanus | United Kingdom | The schooner capsized in a squall 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Montrose, Forfarshire with the loss of one of her six crew. Survivors were rescued by the fishing vessel Aid ( United Kingdom) and HMRC Cheerful ( Board of Customs). Sylavanus was on a voyage from Cromarty to Grangemouth, Stirlingshire. |

## 21 May

List of shipwrecks: 21 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| George James | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground and was severely damaged at Honfleur, Calvados, France. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Honfleur. |

## 22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Susannah Helen | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore on Juist, Kingdom of Hanover. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to "Hollestandt". |

## 23 May

List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aedel | Prussia | The ship collided with Salus ( United Kingdom) and was severely damaged at Swinemünde. She was then driven ashore. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Alphonse | France | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Cadet | United Kingdom | The ship was driven into Salus ( United Kingdom) and severely damaged at Swinemünde. |
| Carl Wilhelm | Prussia | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Elizabeth | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Gazelle | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Goose | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Mary | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Nancy | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. |
| Salus | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |
| Speculante | France | The ship was driven ashore at Swinemünde. She was refloated on 31 May. |

## 24 May

List of shipwrecks: 24 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Norion | Spain | The ship was driven ashore on Anholt, Denmark. Her crew were rescued. |

## 25 May

List of shipwrecks: 25 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Général Borgella | France | The ship struck rocks off "Porcala", Grand Duchy of Finland and sank. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Saint Petersburg, Russia to Nantes, Loire-Inférieure. |
| Paletina or Patelina | Prussia | The ship was driven ashore at Ambleteuse, Pas-de-Calais, France. She was on a voyage from Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom to Königsberg. She was refloated on 30 May and taken int Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais. |
| Robert Garden | United Kingdom | The schooner foundered in Peterhead Bay with the loss of all hands. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to the Moray Firth. |

## 26 May

List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dussau | Stettin | The ship was wrecked at Malmö, Sweden. She was on a voyage from Çeşme, Ottoman Empire to Stettin. |
| Earl Talbot | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore on Goree, Zeeland, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Schiedam, South Holland, Netherlands. Earl Talbot was refloated on 12 June and put into Rotterdam, South Holland for repairs. |
| Frau Catherina | Duchy of Schleswig | The ship was wrecked on the coast of Jutland. She was on a voyage from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom to Rendsburg. |
| Geertruida | Netherlands | The ship was wrecked near Holmen, Denmark. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Amsterdam, North Holland to Riga, Russia. |
| Voyager | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked at Bonaventura, Lower Canada, British North America. |
| Zenobia | United States | The ship was driven ashore at New York. She was on a voyage from Canton, China to New York. Zenobia was refloated and taken into New York. |

## 27 May

List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Quincy | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Oel Pinte, in the North Sea. She was on a voyage from Trinidad de Cuba to Bremen. Quincy was refloated on 29 May and taken into Bremen. |
| Reine | France | The ship was wrecked in the River Plate. |
| Ulrike | Prussia | The ship sprang a leak and was beached near "Pineta", where she was wrecked. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom to Swinemünde. |
| Vrow Hendrika | Denmark | The ship was driven ashore near Rendsburg, Duchy of Schleswig. She was on a voyage from Sønderborg to Antwerp, Belgium. |

## 28 May

List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Napoleon | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Cat Keys, off the Bahamas. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Nassau, Bahamas. |
| Posen | Sweden | The ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by T. P. ( United States). Posen was on a voyage from Gothenburg to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. |
| Shetland | United Kingdom | The ship caught fire at Barbadoes and was scuttled. |
| Sylphide | United Kingdom | The ship was run down and sunk in Liverpool Bay by England ( United Kingdom). Her crew were rescued by England. Sylphide was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Saint Petersburg, Russia. Sylphide was refloated on 6 June and beached at Liverpool. |
| Thracian | Belgium | The ship was struck by a waterspout and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean. She was on a voyage from Antwerp to Havana, Cuba. Thracian put into Nassau, Bahamas, where she arrived on 30 June. |

## 29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| William and Thomas | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Swinebottoms. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Leith, Lothian to Copenhagen, Denmark. |

## 30 May

List of shipwrecks: 30 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Albion | United Kingdom | The ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean and subsequently foundered. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from London to Quebec City, Lower Canada, British North America. |
| Lively | United Kingdom | The ship sank near Dordrecht, South Holland, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Dordrecht. She was later raised but was consequently condemned. |
| Triton | United Kingdom | The ship foundered off Ny-Hellesund, Norway. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Memel, Prussia. |

## 31 May

List of shipwrecks: 31 May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mars | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on the Debringoe Bank. She was on a voyage from Rouen, Seine-Inférieure, France to Hartlepool, County Durham. |
| Pelter | United Kingdom | The flat sank off the Hilbre Islands, Cheshire. Her crew were rescued. |
| Ulrika | Stettin | The ship was driven ashore on Rügen, Prussia. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom to Stettin. |

## Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in May 1840 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ann | New South Wales | The schooner sprang a leak off Nobbys Island and was beached. Her crew were rescued by the cutter Rovers Bride ( New South Wales). Ann was on a voyage from Newcastle to Sydney. |
| Charlotte | New South Wales | The schooner was wrecked at Wollongong whilst her crew were ashore. |
| Citadelle | France | The ship ran aground on the Swinebottoms, in the Baltic Sea. She was refloated on 3 May and taken into Helsingør, Denmark. |
| Falcon | New South Wales | The schooner was driven ashore in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty. Her crew were rescued. |
| Gezina Jansen | Flag unknown | The ship sank off Pillau, Kingdom of Prussia. She was refloated and taken into Pillau on 10 May. |
| Greyhound | British North America | The brig was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean before 29 May. |
| Heinrich | Flag unknown | The ship foundered in the North Sea off Egmond aan Zee, South Holland, Netherlands before 29 May. |
| Lively | United Kingdom | The ship sank off the Dutch coast before 26 May. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Dordrecht, South Holland, Netherlands. |
| Pandora | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on Green Point, Cape Town, Cape Colony. |
| Sherbrooke | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at the Pensacola Lighthouse, Florida Territory. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Mobile, Alabama, United States. Sherbrooke was refloated on 3 June. |
| Thomas | United Kingdom | The brig ran aground on the Shipwash Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex. She was refloated with assistance from Pearl and Superb (both United Kingdom) and taken into Harwich. |
| Victoria | United Kingdom | The brig was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean before 12 May. |
| William | United Kingdom | The ship was wrecked on the Haisborough Sands, in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk before 13 May. She was on a voyage from Memel, Prussia to Lowestoft, Suffolk. |