SS America
Marker: recorded wreck position (Date not recorded).
Key facts
| Name | SS America | Wikidata label |
|---|---|---|
| Ship type | ocean liner | Wikidata P31 instance of |
| Nationality / flag | United States | Wikidata P8047 country of registry |
| Operator | Chandris Line | Wikidata P137 operator |
| Sea / ocean | North Atlantic Ocean | Natural Earth marine areas (public domain), point-in-polygon |
| Nearest coast | Canary Islands | Natural Earth (public domain); approx. 7 km from land |
| Position | 28.3458, -14.1805 | Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0) |
About the wreck
SS America was an ocean liner and cruise ship built in the United States in 1940 for the United States Lines and designed by the noted American naval architect William Francis Gibbs. It carried many names in the 54 years between its construction and its 1994 wreck: SS America (carrying this name three different times during its career); troop transport USS West Point; and SS Australis, Italis, Noga, Alferdoss, and American Star. It served most notably in passenger service as America and the Greek-flagged Australis.
Sold with the intention of being refitted to become a hotel ship, while being towed to Thailand she was wrecked as American Star at Playa de Garcey on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands on January 18, 1994. The wreck deteriorated and completely collapsed into the sea. By 2024 it was no longer visible on the ocean surface and has become an artificial reef.
Location
- Recorded position: 28.3458, -14.1805 (Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0); may be approximate)
- Sea / ocean: North Atlantic Ocean
- Nearest coast: Canary Islands
Wreck positions on this site are for interest only and are not for navigation. Many wrecks are war graves or legally protected: never disturb human remains or remove artefacts, and check local law before diving.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article SS America (1939) (revision 1381327944), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; condensed by selecting paragraphs; citations and formatting removed. No text added. This excerpt is available under the same licence.
Wreck facts from Wikidata (CC0).
Nearby wrecks
- U-135 1943 · 88 km
- Temple Hall 95 km
- U-167 1943 · 102 km
- HMT Bredon 1943 · 164 km
Browse more: Europe wrecks · wrecks off Canary Islands · North Atlantic Ocean