Dangerous wreck
Also written: wreck, wreckage
A sunken vessel close enough to the surface to endanger ships, or wreckage reported in the water.
A wreck becomes a navigational warning when it lies where it could be hit: in a channel, at a shallow depth, or where its position is not yet on the chart. "DANGEROUS WRECK" marks one considered a hazard to surface navigation. Recent wrecks are often marked by a buoy or an AIS signal, and the warning stays in force until the wreck is removed or charted.
The same word also appears for wreckage — floating remains after a sinking. The rest of the warning's text usually makes clear which is meant.
What the archive shows
1,094 messages in this archive use “Dangerous wreck”, the earliest issued 1968-12-13 and the latest 2026-09-21. 14 of them are in force in the latest lists we collected. A hazard reported again and again counts once per message.
The largest yearly count is 2017, with 114 messages. Collection is incomplete between 2024-05 and 2026-08-17, so 2024, 2025 and 2026 are not comparable with fully collected years.
Wrecks accounts for 1,009 of 1,094 recorded messages (92%), the largest warning type group in this selection.
Located messages that use it fall in 58 sea areas; the most frequent are South China Sea (101), North Sea (98) and English Channel (88).
Messages that use it are issued most often in August (116 across all years) and least often in April (70).
By warning series: HYDROPAC 483, HYDROLANT 446, NAVAREA IV 103 and NOAAORR 27, and 4 more.
Messages using it, by year of issue
By month of issue, all years
Where it appears · 58 sea areas
In force now · 14
- NAVAREA XI 408/26 · Wrecks · Java Sea2026-09-13 · in force
JAVA SEA. SUNKEN WRECK, EXISTS IN 04-32-31.8S 114-01-36.0E.
Sunken wreck, exists in 04-32-31.8S 114-01-36.0E → - NAVAREA XI 386/26 · Wrecks · Java Sea2026-08-24 · in force
JAVA SEA. SUNKEN WRECK, EXISTS IN 04-14-42S 113-44-18E.
Sunken wreck, exists in 04-14-42S 113-44-18E → - NAVAREA II 298/26 · Wrecks · North Atlantic Ocean2026-08-07 · in force
CAP BLANC. NEWLY DISCOVERED DANGERS. DANGEROUS WRECK. 23-57.50N 015-50.00W NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION
Newly discovered dangers → - HYDROLANT 986/26 · Wrecks · Gulf of Guinea2026-05-21 · in force
GULF OF GUINEA. NIGERIA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 04-18.50N 007-02.20E.
Dangerous wreck in 04-18.50N 007-02.20E → - NAVAREA II 215/26 · Wrecks · Gulf of Guinea2026-05-21 · in force
GULF OF GUINEA. NEWLY DISCOVERED DANGERS. DANGEROUS WRECK. REPORTED 04-18.50N 007-02.20E NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION AND AT REDUCED SPEED
Newly discovered dangers → - NAVAREA IV 53/26 · Wrecks · Gulf of Mexico2026-01-20 · in force
GULF OF AMERICA. MEXICO. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 25-14.24N 097-07.72W.
Dangerous wreck in 25-14.24N 097-07.72W →
How it reads in recent messages
- NAVAREA IV 914/26 · Wrecks · Caribbean Sea2026-09-21
CARIBBEAN SEA. COLOMBIA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN VICINITY 14-17.21N 080-21.99W. 181626Z SEP.
Dangerous wreck in vicinity 14-17.21N 080-21.99W → - HYDROARC 239/26 · Wrecks · Kara Sea2026-09-16
KARA SEA. RUSSIA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 70-58.65N 073-52.21E.
Dangerous wreck in 70-58.65N 073-52.21E → - HYDROPAC 2646/26 · Wrecks · Java Sea2026-09-13
JAVA SEA. INDONESIA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 04-32.53S 114-01.60E.
Dangerous wreck in 04-32.53S 114-01.60E → - HYDROLANT 1709/26 · Wrecks · South Atlantic Ocean2026-08-30
SOUTH ATLANTIC. URUGUAY. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 32-38.57S 051-36.80W.
Dangerous wreck in 32-38.57S 051-36.80W → - HYDROPAC 2417/26 · Wrecks · Java Sea2026-08-24
JAVA SEA. INDONESIA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 04-14.70S 113-44.30E.
Dangerous wreck in 04-14.70S 113-44.30E → - HYDROLANT 1525/26 · Wrecks · North Atlantic Ocean2026-08-07
NORTH ATLANTIC. WESTERN SAHARA. DANGEROUS WRECK IN 23-57.50N 015-50.00W.
Dangerous wreck in 23-57.50N 015-50.00W →
Earliest in the archive
- NOAAORR-6205 · Spills · Caribbean Sea1968-12-13
…the Atlantic coast of Panama. The breakup of the vessel, and continued leaking of the wreck spilled 14,000 barrels of Bunker C and diesel oil into the water 5 miles from Galeta…
Galeta island, canal zone, panama →
Often in the same message
Related terms
- Submerged obstruction
- Something on or near the seabed that could damage a ship, an anchor or fishing gear — its nature often unknown.
- Wide berth requested
- Keep well clear — or, when a distance is given ("TWO MILE BERTH REQUESTED"), at least that far away.
- Virtual aid to navigation
- A buoy that exists only as an AIS signal — shown on electronic charts and radar, with nothing physically in the water.
- Notice to Mariners
- The weekly publication of permanent chart corrections — the slower, permanent counterpart of a navigational warning.
Warning types that use it
- Wrecks — Dangerous wrecks, shoals and submerged obstructions.
Counts cover the messages in this archive that use the term, recounted 2026-09-24; see coverage for what is collected and since when. Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA and coastal broadcasts.