# List of shipwrecks in May 1939

The list of shipwrecks in May 1939 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during May 1939.

## 1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Bengt Sture | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground at Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, United Kingdom. She was later refloated undamaged. |

## 4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Bardaland | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground off Danzig, Germany owing to failure of her steering gear. She was refloated later that day. |
| Malacca Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore near Wood Island and broke in two. |

## 5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mayon | United States | The cargo ship ran aground south of the Apo Lighthouse, Negros Island, Philippines. She was refloated on 22 May and sailed to Manila, Philippines for repairs. |

## 6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Seisho Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground in Tokyo Bay. She was refloated undamaged later that day. |
| Vathy of Samos | Greece | The cargo ship ran aground at Kalloni. |

## 7 May

List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kalipso | Australia | The coaster caught fire and sank in the Clarence River, New South Wales. |

## 9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alsia | Denmark | The cargo liner caught fire 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Barberyn Island, Ceylon. The crew abandoned ship and were taken on board Canton ( United Kingdom). Alsia came ashore, still burning, at Uduwata Point, 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north of Galle, on 11 May. The gutted ship broke her back and was a total loss. |
| Arantzazu Mendi | Spain | The cargo ship ran aground at Kearney Point, County Down, United Kingdom. She broke her back on 14 May, and was consequently scrapped. |
| Dorothy Luckenbach | United States | The tanker ran aground in the Crocket Channel. She was refloated undamaged on 11 May. |
| Hochelaga | Canada | The cargo ship ran aground at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. She was refloated the next day. |
| Lindenbank | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Arena Island, Sulu Sea, Philippines. She was refloated the next day but then sank 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off the island. Her crew were rescued by USS Pope ( United States Navy). |
| Malacca Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground on Wood Island whilst on a voyage from Singapore to Osaka and broke her back. She was declared a total loss. |
| HMAS Tattoo | Royal Australian Navy | The S-class destroyer was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of New South Wales. |

## 10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Medée | France | The cargo ship ran aground at Ouistreham, Calvados. |
| Villa Franca | Portugal | The cargo ship ran aground at Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure, France. She was refloated the next day. |

## 11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Pikepool | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground in the Uruguay River 6 nautical miles (11 km) downstream of Fray Bentos, Uruguay. She was refloated on 18 May. |

## 12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Comol Rico | United States | The tanker ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana. She was refloated the next day. |

## 13 May

List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Prestatyn Rose | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. She was refloated later that day. |

## 15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Fjeld | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground at Nantes, Loire-Inférieure, France. She was refloated later that day with severe damage. |
| Signfred | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground at Kalmar. She was refloated damaged on 17 May and sailed to Oscarshamn for repairs. |

## 16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Colne | United Kingdom | The Thames barge collided with San Andres ( Norway) in the River Thames at Blackwall Point and was severely damaged. She was beached at Point Wharf, Greenwich. |

## 17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aden | United Kingdom | The dredger capsized in the North Sea (55°38′N 1°20′W﻿ / ﻿55.633°N 1.333°W﻿ / 55.633; -1.333) whilst under tow. |

## 18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Benjamin F. Packard | United States | The full-rigged ship was scuttled off Long Island, New York. |

## 19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rosedene | United Kingdom | The coaster ran aground at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme, France. She was refloated undamaged the next day. |

## 20 May

List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aquarius | United States | The cargo ship caught fire whilst laid up at New Orleans, Louisiana and was severely damaged. |
| Gunny | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground at Gisslan and was severely damaged. She was refloated on 22 May and sailed to Gefle. |
| Silver Sword | United States | The cargo ship ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana. She was refloated the next day. |

## 21 May

List of shipwrecks: 21 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Consul Hintz | Germany | The cargo ship ran aground on Someri, Finland. She was refloated the next day. Consul Hintz arrived on 28 May at Helsinki for drydocking. |
| Eha | Estonia | The cargo ship ran aground on Märket, in the Baltic Sea and became waterlogged. Her crew abandoned ship. |
| Saimaa | Finland | The cargo ship ran aground on Someri. |

## 22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dicky | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided in the River Thames at Rainham, Essex with Valparaiso ( Sweden) and was extensively damaged. She was beached to prevent her sinking. Dicky was refloated on 24 May. |
| Kankyo Maru | Japan | Tsunchiko Maru ( Japan) collided with Kankyo Maru at Shimonoseki, damaging her severely. Tsunchiko Maru then collided with Zuiko Maru ( Japan). Kankyo Maru sank with the loss of sixteen crew. |

## 23 May

List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Souvenir | United States | The fishing vessel foundered in Dixon Entrance, on the border between the Territory of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada, 30–35 nautical miles (56–65 km; 35–40 mi) south-southeast of Duke Island in the Alexander Archipelago, Territory of Alaska. The motor vessel Mary Ellen (Flag unknown) rescued both people on board. |
| USS Squalus | United States Navy | The Sargo-class submarine sank off the Isles of Shoals with the loss of 26 crew. She was refloated, repaired, and recommissioned as USS Sailfish ( United States Navy). |

## 26 May

List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Huasco | Chile | The passenger ship capsized and sank in Talcahuano Bay. |

## 27 May

List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| France | United Kingdom | The cargo ship foundered in the Caribbean Sea off Georgetown, British Guiana. |
| Polzella | United Kingdom | The cargo ship became stranded on the Payung Reef, off Batavia (Jakarta), Netherlands East Indies. She was refloated on 1 June. |
| Yewmount | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Deauville, Calvados, France. She was refloated undamaged later that day. |

## 28 May

List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1939 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| En Min | Manchukuo Imperial Navy | Dongan Incident: The On Min-class river patrol launch was severely damaged by machine gun fire by Soviet Border Troops in the Ussuri River, grounding on the Manchurian side of the river, a total loss. |