List of massacres at sea explained

List of events

DateLocationNameDeathsDescription
1781-11-29 29 November 1781, et seqCaribbean Sea, east of JamaicaZong massacre0,000,132 132–142In order to claim on insurance, 132 to 142 African slaves were thrown overboard when potable water ran low.[1]
1917-04-08 8 April 1917Western Approaches, 150 miles south-west of ScillySS Torrington0,000,034 34After torpedoing Torrington, U-55s commander took the crew on deck and sank their lifeboats, then submerged, leaving them to drown. One crew member survived.
1918-06-27 27 June 1918Western Approaches, 116 miles west of FastnetLlandovery Castle0,000,234 234After torpedoing a Hospital ship, contrary to international law, U-86 rammed and sank lifeboats, firing on survivors. 24 crew escaped.
1940-08-23 8 August 1940Central Atlantic, 800 miles west of Canary IslandsSS Anglo Saxon0,000,039 39After sinking Anglo Saxon, German raider Widder fired on the lifeboats. One escaped, two crew survived.
1944-03-13 13 March 1944South AtlanticSS Peleus0,000,032 32After torpedoing Peleus, U-852 fired on survivors clinging to wreckage. Three survived.
1917-04-08 18 March 1944Indian Ocean, off Tanjung PriokSS Behar0,000,104 104–108After sinking Behar, Japanese cruiser Tone took the crew on board, then later killed them by beheading. Four men escaped.
1944-03-26 26 March 1944Pacific OceanBismarck Sea MassacreUnknownAfter destroying a Japanese convoy, Allied boats and planes attacked Japanese rescue vessels, as well as survivors on life rafts and swimming or floating in the sea.[2]
1943-03-4 4 March 1943Indian OceanSS Tjisalak0,000,105 105After torpedoing Tjisalak, Japanese submarine I-8 took the survivors on board, then beat them to death.
1985-05-155 May 1985Jaffna District, Sri LankaKumudini boat massacre0,000,023 23Kumudini boat massacre, massacre of 23 Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Navy in the sea off Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
1993-01-02 2 January 1993Jaffna District, Sri LankaJaffna lagoon massacre0,000,038 38[3] Jaffna lagoon massacre, massacre of 38 Tamil civilians by Sri Lankan Navy in the sea off Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.understandingslavery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=373&Itemid=236 The Zong case
  2. Book: Gillison , Douglas . 1962 . Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series 3 – Air . 1 . Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942 . Canberra . . 2000369 . 694–695.
  3. Web site: Asia Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20020911134353/http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/DH17Df01.html . unfit . 2002-09-11 . Atimes.com . 2002-08-17 . 2012-08-01.