Derelict
An abandoned vessel still afloat and drifting, with no one on board.
A derelict is a vessel its crew has left — after a rescue, a storm or a dismasting — that has not sunk. Yachts, fishing boats and occasionally large ships drift for weeks or months, often low in the water and unlit. Warnings describe the vessel and where it was last seen, and ask ships to keep a lookout.
Some derelicts are reported again and again as they drift across an ocean. The position in each warning is the latest sighting; for derelicts still in force, the warning page estimates where the current may have carried it since.
What the archive shows
5,527 messages in this archive use “Derelict”, the earliest issued 1991-11-24 and the latest 2026-09-22. 4 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 2013, with 347 messages. Collection is incomplete between 2024-05 and 2026-08-17, so 2024, 2025 and 2026 are not comparable with fully collected years.
Derelicts accounts for 4,657 of 5,527 recorded messages (84%), the largest warning type group in this selection.
Located messages that use it fall in 71 sea areas; the most frequent are North Atlantic Ocean (905), Indian Ocean (572) and North Pacific Ocean (484).
Its use is spread fairly evenly through the year: the busiest month, December, has 556 messages and the quietest, April, 413.
By warning series: HYDROPAC 2,899, HYDROLANT 1,707, NAVAREA IV 636 and NAVAREA XII 209, and 5 more.
Messages using it, by year of issue
By month of issue, all years
Where it appears · 71 sea areas
In force now · 4
- HYDROPAC 2209/26 · Derelicts · Arafura Sea2026-08-03 · in force
GULF OF CARPENTARIA. AUSTRALIA. 1. DERELICT TEN METER VESSEL ADRIFT IN 11-55.02S 141-54.27E AT 020629Z AUG. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG…
Derelict ten meter vessel adrift in 11-55.02S 141-54.27E at 020629Z aug → - HYDROPAC 2092/26 · Derelicts · Arabian Sea2026-07-21 · in force
ARABIAN SEA. INDIA. 1. DERELICT M/V AL JAFZIA AGROUND IN 19-11.50N 072-46.40E. 2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 1624/26.
Derelict M/V al jafzia aground in 19-11.50N 072-46.40E → - HYDROPAC 1605/25 · Derelicts · Gulf of Oman2025-06-19 · in force
GULF OF OMAN. U.A.E. DNC 10. DERELICT 274 METER M/V ADALYNN UNLIT AND ANCHORED IN 25-36.99N 056-24.85E.
Derelict 274 meter M/V adalynn unlit and anchored in 25-36.99N 056-24.85E → - HYDROPAC 3849/24 · Derelicts · Red Sea2024-12-19 · in force
RED SEA. SAUDI ARABIA. DNC 10. 1. DERELICT M/V ISA STAR AGROUND IN 18-26.00N 041-06.00E. 2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 3841/24.
Derelict M/V isa star aground in 18-26.00N 041-06.00E →
How it reads in recent messages
- HYDROPAC 2740/26 · Derelicts · South China Sea2026-09-22
SOUTH CHINA SEA. 1. DERELICT M/V MSC HERMES III ADRIFT IN VICINITY 11-45.00N 112-15.00E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 250631Z…
Derelict M/V msc hermes III adrift in vicinity 11-45.00N 112-15.00E → - HYDROLANT 1856/26 · Derelicts · North Sea2026-09-18
NORTH SEA. 1. DERELICT 14 METER S/V ADRIFT IN 59-36.00N 003-05.00E AT 181831Z SEP. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 240114Z…
Derelict 14 meter S/V adrift in 59-36.00N 003-05.00E at 181831Z sep → - NAVAREA II 333/26 · Derelicts · North Atlantic Ocean2026-09-18
CAP BLANC. DRIFTING HAZARDS. DERELICT VESSEL ADRIFT. GREY INFLATABLE BOAT IN VICINITY 24-44.20N 016-36.20W AT 181334 UTC SEP…
Derelict vessel adrift → - HYDROLANT 1823/26 · Derelicts · Tyrrhenian Sea2026-09-14
TYRRHENIAN SEA. SARDINIA. 1. DERELICT VESSEL ADRIFT IN 38-51.10N 009-20.90E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 171900Z SEP 26.
Derelict vessel adrift in 38-51.10N 009-20.90E → - NAVAREA III 140/26 · Derelicts · Tyrrhenian Sea2026-09-14
CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA. A DERELICT BOAT IS ADRIFT AROUND: IN POSITION 38-51.1N 009-20.9E CANCEL THIS MSG 162359 UTC SEP 26.
A derelict boat is adrift around: in position 38-51.1N 009-20.9E cancel this msg 162359 UTC sep 26 → - NAVAREA IV 865/26 · Derelicts · Caribbean Sea2026-09-09
CARIBBEAN SEA. 1. DERELICT S/V ADRIFT IN 14-07.87N 068-20.16W AT 080810Z SEP. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 120003Z SEP 26.
Derelict S/V adrift in 14-07.87N 068-20.16W at 080810Z sep → - HYDROPAC 2561/26 · Derelicts · Indian Ocean2026-09-06
EASTERN INDIAN OCEAN. 1. DERELICT 13 METER VESSEL PARTIALLY SUBMERGED AND ADRIFT IN 12-06.20S 114-19.47E AT 061100Z SEP.…
Derelict 13 meter vessel partially submerged and adrift in 12-06.20S 114-19.47E at 061100Z sep → - HYDROPAC 2559/26 · Derelicts · Indian Ocean2026-09-06
EASTERN INDIAN OCEAN. 1. DERELICT F/V SAJIRA ADRIFT IN VICINITY 06-55.40S 060-46.40E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 091630Z SEP 26.
Derelict F/V sajira adrift in vicinity 06-55.40S 060-46.40E →
Earliest in the archive
- NOAAORR-6848 · Spills · Gulf of Alaska1991-11-24
…reported a large oil sheen emanating from the fishing vessel Windrunner, which had been derelict and abandoned for more than a year. Investigators reported that the vessel was lying on…
Womans bay, kodiak, alaska →
Often in the same message
Related terms
- Adrift
- Loose and moving with wind and current — a vessel, container, buoy, log or anything else no longer secured.
- Last known position
- The most recent confirmed position of a missing vessel or person — the starting point of a search.
- Wide berth requested
- Keep well clear — or, when a distance is given ("TWO MILE BERTH REQUESTED"), at least that far away.
- Tow / towing
- A vessel towing another vessel, a barge or a structure — slow, hard to manoeuvre, and with a long line between.
Warning types that use it
- Derelicts — Abandoned, disabled or drifting vessels.
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.