sinking lego cruise ship

5 million shipwrecked Legos still washing up 25 years after falling overboard

The ship Tokio Express spilled its Lego cargo after colliding with a rogue wave.

A once-in-a-century wave that pummeled a cargo ship in 1997 caused the worst toy-related environmental disaster of all time. As the vessel Tokio Express pitched and rolled near the United Kingdom's southwestern coast, 62 shipping containers tumbled off the ship — and one of them dumped nearly 5 million plastic Lego pieces into the ocean.

Soon after the event, which some referred to as the Great Lego Spill, beachgoers in Cornwall, U.K., began finding brightly-colored plastic Legos. Even now, 25 years after the Feb. 13 disaster, numerous Legos from the spill still appear on beaches in Cornwall.

Coincidentally, many of those sea-tossed Lego pieces were nautically-themed. There were tens of thousands of octopuses, life jackets, scuba tanks, diving fins and pirate cutlasses, along with terrestrial shapes such as flowers, "witches' brooms" and dragons, said British beachcomber and writer Tracey Williams, author of " Adrift: The Curious Tale of the Lego Lost at Sea " (Unicorn Publishing Group, 2022).

Related: How much plastic actually gets recycled?  

Williams began collecting beach Legos in 1997 in South Devon, U.K., soon after the spill; more than a decade later, she launched the Lego Lost at Sea Facebook group , where people shared photos of the Legos that they found on British beaches, Williams told Live Science.

"In 2010, I moved to Cornwall to be close to my family, and on my first trip to the beach I noticed Legos from the spill again," Williams said. "I was amazed that it was still washing up after all that time."

On that fateful day in 1997, the Lego bricks and objects had been loaded onto the Tokio Express in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and they were bound for New York. But disaster struck about 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the coast of western Cornwall, in the form of a rogue wave, Cornwall Live reported in 2014.

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For centuries, rogue waves — immensely tall and dangerous ocean waves that seemingly appeared out of nowhere — were thought to exist only in maritime legends. However, evidence in recent decades has shown that these waves do exist, though their unpredictability makes them difficult to track and study, according to the National Ocean Service (NOS). Also known as extreme storm waves, rogue waves are thought to form out of merging swells; the resulting wall of water can measure dozens of feet high and may rise suddenly and unexpectedly from a direction other than that of visible surface waves, the NOS says.

The captain of the Tokio Express described the Feb. 13 rogue wave as a "once in a 100-year phenomenon" that first rocked the ship 60 degrees in one direction and then 40 degrees in the opposite direction, according to the BBC . The ship's manifest listed 4,756,940 Lego pieces that were lost at sea, of which 3,178,807 were light enough to float, Cornwall Live reported. In 2015, the BBC mapped more than 40 beach locations in Cornwall where people had reported collecting wayward Lego bits. Williams and her family have probably collected thousands of Legos since the time of the spill, she told Live Science.

Beachcombers initially found the lighter-weight pieces, such as slippers, flowers, lifejackets and octopuses. Black and green dragons, which were also a common sight on beaches but were slightly heavier by comparison, may have also floated because they contained air pockets, Williams said.

— Plastic bag waste litters landscape (Infographic)

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"What we're finding now are the pieces that sank as well as the pieces that floated," she said. "It's providing us with an insight into what happens to plastic in the ocean, how far it drifts — both on the surface of the ocean but also along the seabed — and what happens to it as it breaks down." But one of the big problems with plastic pollution is that it can take centuries to degrade in the ocean, and as it deteriorates it releases chemicals that can harm animals' hormones and disrupt their reproduction, according to the American Chemical Society .

In fact, it may be even longer than a few hundred years until the lost Lego pieces break down. When scientists recently analyzed the structure of weathered beach Legos using   X-ray fluorescence, they found that it could take up to 1,300 years for Legos from the 1997 spill to degrade entirely, researchers reported in July 2020 in the journal Environmental Pollution .

Originally published on Live Science.

Mindy Weisberger is an editor at Scholastic and a former Live Science channel editor and senior writer. She has reported on general science, covering climate change, paleontology, biology and space. Mindy studied film at Columbia University; prior to Live Science she produced, wrote and directed media for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Her videos about dinosaurs, astrophysics, biodiversity and evolution appear in museums and science centers worldwide, earning awards such as the CINE Golden Eagle and the Communicator Award of Excellence. Her writing has also appeared in Scientific American, The Washington Post and How It Works Magazine.  Her book "Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind Control" will be published in spring 2025 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

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Building Increasingly Complex LEGO Machines In Order to Sink Progressively Larger LEGO Boats

• November 8, 2023

The engineer behind  Brick Technology  built a series of LEGO machines in an attempt to sink different LEGO boats that were floating inside a fish tank at different times. The sinking machines became increasingly more complex as the ships became more difficult to sink.

Building and testing various Lego machines to sink multiple Lego boats and ships in a large fish tank. Throughout the video, it becomes increasingly challenging to sink the Lego ships.

via Rick Webb

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Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry , playing guitar , taking photos and mixing craft cocktails .

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After 25 Years at Sea, Shipwrecked Lego Pieces Are Still Washing Ashore on Beaches in England

In 1997, a cargo ship was struck by a rogue wave. Among 62 shipping containers aboard, one contained five million plastic toy bricks

Elizabeth Gamillo

Daily Correspondent

Along the beaches of Cornwall, England's southwestern peninsula, locals and tourists alike have been finding more than just seashells along the seashore. Colorful ocean-themed Legos of octopuses with twisting tentacles, miscellaneous scuba gear, boxy whales, and other plastic pieces have been washing ashore for the last 25 years—a grim reminder of the lasting impacts of plastic pollution.

On February 13, 1997, about five million Legos were lost at sea when a  rogue wave  tipped a massive cargo ship dubbed the Tokio Express. Ironically, many of the kits were sea creature themed. The event, known as the Great Lego Spill, is the worst toy-related environmental disaster of all time, and beachcombers still uncover the shipwrecked plastic treasures today, reports Mindy Weisberger for  Live Science .

The Lego pieces aboard the Tokio Express were among 62 shipping containers that tumbled off the vessel. The ship was en route to New York after it loaded its cargo in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, when an unpredictable 28-foot wave smashed into a cargo ship 20 miles off the mainland, reports Jackie Butler for  Cornwall Live . Other items swept to sea included 10,000 disposable lighters, superglue, and other hazardous chemicals. 

Ever since, collectors have gone out to look for "rare" pieces like octopuses and green dragons. Tracey Williams—a Cornwall local, beachcomber, and environmental campaigner—has documented the Lego spill for years on "Lego Lost at Sea" social media pages via  Facebook,   Instagram , and  Twitter . More recently, she published  Adrift :  The Curious Tale of Lego Lost at Sea , a book detailing the Lego incident.

Though the wayward novelties may inspire wonder, the tiny bricks highlight plastic pollution's impact on oceans. Out of the 4,756,940 Lego pieces on board, about 3,178,807 were light enough to float and are what is commonly found across 40 beaches in Cornwall, eported Mario Cacciottolo for the BBC in 2014. For example, small plastic flowers and mini diver's flippers are regularly seen along the shores.

"What we're finding now are the pieces that sank as well as the pieces that floated," Williams tells  Live Science . "It's providing us with an insight into what happens to plastic in the ocean, how far it drifts — both on the surface of the ocean but also along the seabed — and what happens to it as it breaks down." 

In 2017, Rob Arnold, a local of Cornwall, and 12 other volunteers collected about six million pieces of microplastics from a beach near his home, reported  Inverse's   Nick Lucchesi at the time. The volunteers found plenty of Lego bits among other plastic pieces, including 240 Lego divers' flippers, on beaches two decades after the cargo ship tipped. 

Plastic can take centuries to degrade in the ocean, and as it deteriorates, it releases chemicals that can disrupt the reproductive systems of animals,  Live Science  reports. Future generations will likely continue to experience the aftermath of the Great Lego Spill. A study published in  Environmental Pollution  in 2020 found that after analyzing the structure of Legos with X-ray fluorescence, it would take about 1,300 years for the 1997 castaway Legos to degrade fully.

According to the  IUCN , at least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year and make up 80 percent of all marine debris found in deep-sea sediments and drifting on surface waters.

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Elizabeth Gamillo | | READ MORE

Elizabeth Gamillo is a daily correspondent for  Smithsonian and a science journalist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has written for Science magazine as their 2018 AAAS Diverse Voices in Science Journalism Intern.

7 Cool LEGO® Ship Sets Everyone Must Have

LEGO®, the popular line of construction toys consisting of interlocking plastic bricks (Also called “LEGO® bricks”) that can be assembled and connected in many ways, has drastically expanded its fan base over the last few decades.

Though the initial thoughts of LEGO® indicate a favourite pass time for kids, the rapidly expanding “LEGO® Universe” clearly states that the LEGO®s are not just for kids.

Many adults are being pulled in by the addictive LEGO® sets, which have become so famous among older people that some fans say adults spend more than kids and account for almost half or more revenue at the LEGO® stores.

The sheer joy of building attracts adults and kids to these massively popular construction toys, which are now available in various themes, ranging from cities to trains to robots. Nothing is hardly left that has to be converted into a LEGO® set.

If you are from the shipping industry or have an infatuation for floating structures and a particular liking towards LEGO®, there are some super-interesting LEGO® sets that you must check out.

They are not just for kids but a great hobby during your free time on ships or during breaks at home.

Let’s take a look at each of these excellent LEGO ® ship sets:

1. maersk triple-e container ship lego® set.

This is one of the finest ship-themed LEGO® sets in the market today, featuring one of the world’s largest container ships – Maersk Triple E. Built from over 1,500 bricks, the model recreates the actual vessel in great detail.

The set includes rare colours such as dark red, sand blue and sand green. There are rotating gold-coloured screw blades leading to the brick-built twin propeller engines, which you can view through the window built into the ship’s port side. You can even customise it by adding or removing the containers.

This authentic set includes a display stand and fact plaque with detailed information about the ship, and, as a finishing touch, there’s the gold coin that is added under the mast of all Maersk Line ships for good luck on their voyages. This model is perfect for LEGO® fans!

• Build the famous Maersk Triple-E (EEE) container ship in Lego form
• At 25 inch (65cm) in length, the final model will impress you and your guests alike
• Features include rotating gold-colored propeller blades, brick-built twin 8-cylinder engines, viewing window into the engine compartment, adjustable rudders, detachable lifeboats, removable containers, rotating crane arms and a special ‘good luck’ coin
• Includes rare medium azur, dark red, sand blue and sand green colored elements

2. LEGO® City- Port

Create a port, crane, and floating ship with this great LEGO® set. Includes two containers, pallet, cargo truck, speed boat, captain, fisherman, three worker mini-figures and many accessories!

In this LEGO ® set, you can use the massive pier crane and cargo truck to empty the cargo ship and prepare it for its next destination. The cargo ship floats and measures 23″ (58 cm) long. You can also raise and lower the ship’s anchor. The crane is over 19″ (48 cm) tall and spins 360 degrees. Crane’s arm moves side to side and up and down. Raise and lower the crane’s hook to load and unload containers.

3. LEGO® Ice Breaker Ship

This solid LEGO® icebreaker set includes seven mini-figures with accessories: 4 explorers, a captain, a pilot and a scientist.

The Icebreaker features an anchor with winch and chain, a snow scooter, a removable bridge with a steering wheel, windows and steps, two bunk beds, movable ladders, two cargo containers with equipment and a helipad.

The helicopter features a cockpit for a mini-figure, turning rotors, turning the rear propeller and a winch function. Explorer’s base features an opening door and walls, radar and antenna, laboratory with a desk, microscope, fridge, bed, computer and ladder.

This is an excellent set for all LEGO® lovers.

• We will ship from Tokyo, Japan
• It will take 10 to 17 business days as your goods arrive since your payment.

4. Maersk Sealand Container Ship

Maersk container ships are favourite among LEGO® designers (Probably also because LEGO ® and Maersk are from Denmark). If you are a fan of the world’s number one shipping company and its container vessels, then get on the journey to build one of the most accurately detailed freighters among LEGO® sets with 990 pieces.

• Measures 27 inches long when completed

5. LEGO® Pirates Flagship

Want to go back in history and build those magnificent ships with sails? Here’s the perfect LEGO® set for you.

This excellent LEGO® set of the pirate theme includes a ship’s captain, his daughter, a pirate captain prisoner with shackles, the ship’s cook, a lieutenant, and four soldiers; the amazingly detailed and realistic ship features three removable sections.

The ship’s main hull contains four firing cannons, ammunition crates, muskets, torches, cannonballs, a prison with a rat, a saw shark mini-figurehead, a moving rudder and a fully-equipped ship’s kitchen with fish, turkey legs and a carrot.

This is a highly detailed ship and a must-have for all LEGO® fans.

No products found.

6. LEGO® Transport Ferry

Make your LEGO® ferry and load it up with vehicles using the working back ramp to transport your cargo safely across the sea.

Also, use the geared lever to open the front doors and unload at your distant destination. Turn the gear to lower the ramp to drive the car onto the ferry and then raise the ramp to set sail.

Unlatch the front doors, turn the gear to open the doors, and drive the car off the ferry. A ferry is on wheels so that it can move in any direction—this is an adorable set with some great details.

• Includes instructions to rebuild into a transport hovercraft or a cargo plane
• Includes a car with trailer attached to load onto the ferry
• Unlatch the front doors, turn the gear to open the doors, and drive the car off of the ferry
• The ferry is on wheels to move it in any direction and measures 16" (41cm) long and 5" (13cm) wide
• Contains 1,279 pieces

7. LEGO® Coast Guard Patrol

Build the ultimate Coast Guard Patrol boat with this LEGO® set. Launch the submarine and helicopter from the boat and rescue people with the life preservers.

The set includes three sharks and six mini-figures with accessories:

Pilot, captain, crew member, rescuer, man and woman. It also consists of a dog, crab, two life preservers, two life jackets, a walkie-talkie, a hat with headphones and ice cream.

This is a great LEGO® Set to Have Fun with.

• Features 2 water cannons, submarine launcher and radio antenna, helicopter, submarine, dinghy, lighthouse with rocks and 3 sharks
• Accessories include a dog, crab, 2 life preservers, 2 life jackets, walkie-talkie, hat with headphones and an ice cream
• Coast Guard Patrol boat and dinghy really float; deploy the submarine with a turning propeller; submarine measures over 1" high, 3" long, 2" wide
• Lighthouse with rocks measures 6" high, 5" wide, 2" long; dinghy measures 2" high, 7" long, 3" wide; shark measures 2" long, 1" wide, approx. 1" high
• Coast Guard Patrol Boat measures over 7" high, 15" long, 3" wide; helicopter measures over 2" high, 6" long, 2" wide

LEGO® Cruise Ship

Many great LEGO® Ship sets are still not in the market for consumers, especially those based on the LEGO® Cruise Ship theme. However, a few cruise ship companies and individuals have made their cruise ship LEGO® sets.

In 2018, the world’s largest LEGO ® cruise ship was made by Dream Cruises to mark the launch of its new World Dream Ship. The LEGO ® cruise ship model was constructed using more than 2.5 million LEGO ® blocks that weighed over 2,800 kg and measured 8.44 m (27.7 ft) long, 1.33 m (4.36 ft) wide and 1.53 m (5 ft) tall. Click here to learn about the most extensive  LEGO ® cruise ship set. 

Similarly, in 2015, Cunard Lines made the then-largest LEGO ® cruise ship model of the famous Queen Mary Ship. The project took four professional LEGO ® builders over 250,000 LEGO ® bricks and almost four months to complete.

The Cruise ship set was set in the Shipyard and was surrounded by Bright Brick building stations where children and LEGO ® enthusiasts could make their version of the ship or anything else that comes to mind.

Additional LEGO ® Ship Sets:

1. lego ® movie metal beard’s sea cow.

2. Seawolf Submarine

Do you know any other interesting LEGO ® set with a ship theme that can be added to this list?

Let’s know in the comments below.

References and Image Credits: Amazon

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a small commission if you purchase through our links at no additional cost. You can read our full disclaimer here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. do the lego city boats float.

The LEGO City Speed Boat Transporter set has an excellent truck and a boat that can float. It is a fabulous building set for kids who love ships.

2. What is the largest LEGO boat set?

3. what is the biggest lego pirate ship.

The Skull’s Eye Schooner is LEGO’s most giant pirate vessel ever constructed. It has everything a person can ask for. The 912-piece set is quite extensive and very detailed. It has six cannons, a captain’s cabin and nine mini-figures.

4. Which Cruise Line has a partnership with LEGO?

MSC Cruises is the only Cruise Company that has LEGO play areas on its ships, allowing passengers to play with free bricks and all LEGO equipment. The Sailor Walk About is LEGO’s official mascot onboard the cruise ships.

5. Why does LEGO retire its sets so frequently?

To keep the company’s brand image and values high, LEGO has to develop unique designs every year, as repeating the same old structures would get boring, and even the sales would go down. Hence, LEGO comes with new and exciting sets each year.

We earn a commission if you make a purchase through an affiliate link, at no additional cost to you.

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About Author

Raunek Kantharia is a marine engineer turned maritime writer and entrepreneur. After a brief stint at the sea, he founded Marine Insight in 2010. Apart from managing Marine Insight, he also writes for a number of maritime magazines and websites.

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One comment.

Both the Seawolf Submarine and the US Navy Aircraft carrier are megablocks and not LEGO! Besides that the pirateship shows a picture of the Imperial Flagship.

If you want more interesting ships check out the History LEGO has with Maersk. They first created the Regina Maersk in 1959 as agive-away to retailers (this have not been seen for sale for ages). Next in 1974 they released their for Maersk container liner ship (lego id 1650). Followed indeed in 2004 and 2005 by the 10152 Maersk sealand container schip. In 2006 the same 10152 was released but now with the name Mearsk Line on the side of the ship instead of Maersk Sealand. In 2011 the same ship was released under a different Lego ID nr (10155, as shown in the article above). The latest one is indeed the Maersk Triple-E (legoID 10241).

Drop me a line if you want more info or pictures.

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How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

The thought of a cruise ship sinking conjures images of historic maritime tragedies, sparking curiosity and concern among modern travelers.

Despite the advancements in safety and technology, the question lingers in the minds of many: How many cruise ships have actually sunk? In this article, we dive deep into the annals of maritime history and safety records to uncover the truth.

By examining the rare instances of cruise ship sinkings, we’ll provide perspective on the safety of cruising today.

Whether you’re a maritime history enthusiast or planning your next vacation at sea, understanding these incidents sheds light on the impressive safety standards that protect millions of passengers each year.

The Titanic Tragedy (April 1912)

The Titanic’s sinking is one of the most well-known maritime disasters. On its first trip across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship hit an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912. In just over two and a half hours, the Titanic was completely underwater. Sadly, most passengers couldn’t evacuate safely because there weren’t enough lifeboats for everyone.

The disaster led to more than 1,500 deaths, making it one of the deadliest incidents at sea. The freezing waters made survival even harder for those who couldn’t get on a lifeboat. The Titanic’s sinking is remembered as a tragic event in maritime history.

The Empress of Ireland Tragedy (May 1914)

Just two years after the Titanic sank, the Empress of Ireland had its own tragic accident. In May 1914, this ship with nearly 1,500 passengers hit the Norwegian ship Storstad. They could see each other earlier, but then fog made it hard to see.

The crash caused 1,012 passengers and crew to lose their lives. The Empress of Ireland was close to making 1,000 trips without any problems, but this was not one of them. This accident is another sad event in the history of ships at sea.

The Sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915)

Cunard Line has been operating ships since 1940 and is still active today. One of its famous ships is the Queen Mary 2, the last ocean liner still in service.

The RMS Lusitania, built for Cunard Line, was the world’s largest passenger ship for three months. On May 7, 1915, while sailing off the coast of Ireland to Liverpool, England, a German U-Boat torpedoed the Lusitania. The ship started to sink faster than expected, and only six lifeboats could be launched.

Nearly 1,200 people died in the sinking of the Lusitania. This event is remembered as one of the major maritime tragedies of the early 20th century.

The Britannic’s Fate (November 1916)

The Britannic was the younger sister of the Olympic (1911) and Titanic (1912). Although intended to be a passenger ship, the outbreak of World War I changed her purpose. She became a hospital ship in December 1915.

In November 1916, less than a year into her service, the Britannic hit a German naval mine in the Kea Channel between the Greek islands of Kea and Makronisos. She sank 55 minutes later.

Fortunately, the casualties were minimal. Most people on board managed to escape on the 35 lifeboats that were launched. However, around 30 people still lost their lives in the sinking of the Britannic.

The Sinking of the Principessa Mafalda (October 1927)

The Principessa Mafalda was an Italian ship named after a princess. It started sailing in 1909 between Genoa, Italy, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In October 1927, the ship had a big problem when its propeller shaft broke, damaging the bottom of the ship. It sank off the coast of Brazil, and sadly, more than 300 people died.

The Saint-Philibert Tragedy (June 1931)

The Saint-Philibert, a small cruise ship, capsized and sank on June 14, 1931, off the coast of France. This tragic event led to the loss of nearly 500 lives, with only 8 passengers surviving.

Before this disaster, the Saint-Philibert was known for offering summer voyages along the French coast.

Check out: What Cruise Can You Go on Alone at 18?

The Sinking of the Georges Philippar (May 1932)

The French ocean liner Georges Philippar sank on the second leg of her maiden voyage near present-day Yemen, resulting in the loss of 54 lives.

The sinking was caused by an electrical fault. A fire started in one of the luxury cabins due to a faulty light switch that sparked and set the wood paneling on fire.

Before setting sail, there were worries about the ship’s safety. The ship’s launch was almost delayed to fix defects. However, these concerns were ignored to avoid penalties for delays.

The Tragedy of the SS Morro Castle (September 1934)

The SS Morro Castle, an American ocean liner operated by Ward Line, was traveling from Havana, Cuba, to New York City when it caught fire and ran aground on September 8, 1934.

The night before the disaster, Captain Robert Rennison Willmott, the ship’s captain, suddenly died after complaining about a stomach ache. Command of the ship was then passed to Chief Officer William Warms.

There were 137 casualties in total. Much of the blame was placed on the crew for not handling the emergency properly. Although the lifeboats could hold up to 408 people, they were launched with only 85.

The Sinking of the Empress of Britain (October 1940)

The Empress of Britain, an ocean liner of over 42,000 gross registered tons, holds the sad record of being the largest ocean liner sunk during World War II, and also the largest ship sunk by a U-Boat during the conflict.

On October 26, she was first bombed from above, then sunk by a torpedo launched by German U-Boats on October 28.

Most of the 416 crew members, 2 gunners, and 205 passengers managed to abandon the ship, leaving few people on board. In total, 45 people lost their lives in this tragic event.

The Collision of Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm (July 1956)

On July 25, 1956, the Andrea Doria and the MS Stockholm collided while on their way to New York City. The accident resulted in 51 deaths. However, this event is also known for one of the largest rescues in maritime history.

Thanks to improved communication systems, the crew of the Andrea Doria was able to quickly start rescue efforts and get help from other ships. Only five people died on board the Stockholm.

The damage to the Andrea Doria was so severe that the ship could not be saved. Those who lost their lives did so because of the initial collision.

The Story of the Bianca C (October 1961)

The Bianca C first sank during World War II when the Germans scuttled her before she was completed. Later, her hull was raised and refitted to become a cruise ship. She was first owned by Panama’s Arosa Line as their flagship but was eventually sold to Costa Line, where she got the name Bianca C after the owner’s daughter.

On October 22, 1961, while docked off the coast of Grenada, an explosion in the ship’s engine room led to fires breaking out. Thankfully, except for one person killed in the initial explosion, everyone was able to evacuate the ship before it sank.

The Journey and End of the Angelina Lauro (September 1979)

The Angelina Lauro didn’t always serve as a cruise ship. She started her journey in 1939 as the MS Oranje. Initially meant to be a passenger ferry, she was kept in Indonesia and turned into a hospital ship. After World War II, she sailed as a passenger liner for around 11 years, making trips around the world from Amsterdam to Australia through the Panama Canal and back via Singapore and the Suez Canal.

In 1964, she was sold to Lauro Lines and refitted as a cruise ship. She embarked on her maiden voyage as the Angelina Lauro on March 6, 1966. In the late 70s, Costa Lines chartered her.

While docked in Saint Thomas, the Angelina Lauro caught fire. The blaze lasted for several days. Before she could be towed to a scrapyard, her weakened hull began to take on water. She finally sank on September 24, 1979.

The Sinking of the MS Mikhail Lermontov (February 1986)

The MS Mikhail Lermontov was an ocean liner operated by the Soviet Union’s Baltic Shipping Company, entering service in 1972. A decade later, it was upgraded to serve as a cruise ship.

On February 6, 1986, the ship left Sydney for a two-week cruise around New Zealand. Ten days into the journey, while sailing past Cape Jackson, it hit rocks. Out of the 743 crew and passengers on board, the majority managed to escape on lifeboats. Tragically, there was one casualty: crew engineer Pavel Zagladimov.

The Tragic Collision of the SS Admiral Nakhimov (August 1986)

The SS Admiral Nakhimov started its journey in 1925 as the SS Berlin, a passenger liner of the German Weimar Republic. It later served as a hospital ship before becoming a Soviet Union passenger ship.

In August 1986, the ship met a tragic end when it collided with another ship in Tsemes Bay. The ship sank quickly, and sadly, 423 people lost their lives in the incident. This marked the third and final time that the ship sank.

The Sinking of MV Jupiter (October 1988)

The MV Jupiter, a Greek cruise ship, started sailing in 1961 as the Moledet. On October 21, 1988, it sank after leaving Piraeus, Greece. An Italian freight ship hit it.

The ship had nearly 400 British students, 84 adults, and 110 crew members on a study cruise. Sadly, one student, one teacher, and two crew members died. About 70 others were injured.

The Sinking of MTS Oceanos (August 1991)

The MTS Oceanos, another Greek ship, sank three years after the MV Jupiter. It was traveling from South Africa to Durban when rough seas hit. A storm made things worse.

The ship’s waste system wasn’t fixed right. A key pipe wasn’t replaced. It’s thought that huge waves broke the pipe, letting seawater flood in.

No one died, but the captain and crew were found guilty of leaving without helping passengers. The ship’s entertainers led all rescue efforts.

The Sinking of MS Estonia (September 1994)

The sinking of the MS Estonia in 1994 was one of the worst maritime disasters of the 20th century. It was the deadliest peacetime sinking of a European ship after the Titanic and the Empress of Ireland. Over 850 lives were lost.

While sailing through rough waters in the Baltic Sea, a metallic bang was heard. Soon after, passengers and crew reported similar sounds. Around 1:15 am, the visor separated, opening the loading ramp and causing the ship to list as water flooded in.

It was difficult for those in cabins to reach the boat deck. Water was entering the ship through the car deck and the windows of public areas and cabins on Deck 6.

The Achille Lauro Incident (December 1994)

The Achille Lauro, originally the ocean liner Willem Ruys, was converted into a cruise ship by Italian businessman Achille Lauro in 1965. It had a series of unfortunate events, including collisions and onboard fires.

In 1985, the ship was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front. On November 30, 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire while sailing to South Africa. There were 979 passengers and crew onboard. The majority evacuated the next morning when the ship listed, but two people were killed before it sank on December 2.

The Final Voyage of the Sun Vista (May 1999)

The Sun Vista started its journey in 1963 as the SS Galileo Galilei for the Lloyd Triestino line. Over the years, it sailed for five different cruise lines, including as the first-ever cruise ship for Celebrity Cruises, the Meridian. In 1997, it was transferred to Sun Cruises and renamed the Sun Vista.

On May 20, 1999, a fire broke out in the ship’s engine room. The Sun Vista sank in the early morning hours of May 21 in the Strait of Malacca. Fortunately, all passengers and crew were able to escape safely.

The Sinking of the Britanis (October 2000)

The Britanis began its life as the luxury ocean liner SS Monterey in 1932. It later sailed for Chandris under their “Fantasy Cruises” division starting in February 1971. When Chandris shifted focus to the Celebrity Cruises brand, all Fantasy Cruises operations ceased. In 1998, the ship was sold to AG Belofin and renamed Belofin-1.

Instead of being refurbished, the Britanis was sold to scrappers. While being towed to a scrapyard from Brazil, it developed a leak at the back of the ship. With no one on board, the ship was cut free and capsized off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.

The Sinking of SeaBreeze (December 2000)

The SeaBreeze, originally named Federico C., was launched in 1958 and sailed for Costa Cruises. In 1983, it was transferred to Premier Cruises and renamed three times.

Premier Cruises went out of business in September 2000, leading to the ship being laid up. While being moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Charleston, South Carolina, by its new owner, Cruise Ventures III, the SeaBreeze sank about 225 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia. All 34 crew members on board were rescued safely.

The ship sank due to the boiler breaking off, causing significant damage to the vessel.

The Sinking of MV Explorer (November 2007)

The MV Explorer, originally the MS Lindblad Explorer, began her career in 1969 as the first ship of her kind to sail through the Antarctic Ocean.

On November 11, 2007, she set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, for a 19-day cruise. After visiting the Falkland Islands, she hit an iceberg in the Bransfield Strait on November 23, causing a gash in the hull that let water in.

All 91 passengers, 53 crew, and 9 guides were able to escape on lifeboats. They stayed there for five hours until the MS Nordnorge rescued them.

The Sinking of MS Sea Diamond (April 2007)

The MS Sea Diamond, originally known as Birka Princess, operated for Birka Line for most of her time at sea. In 2006, she was sold to Louis Cruises Line and renamed. A year later, she ran aground on a reef near Santorini, with 77 students from Paisley Magnet School in North Carolina on board.

Initially, it was believed that all passengers and crew were safe. However, two French citizens, Jean Christophe Allain, 45, and his daughter Maud, 16, were reported missing and never found.

Greek authorities later announced plans to charge the captain and five other officers with negligence.

The Capsizing of Costa Concordia (January 2012)

The Costa Concordia was the first ship of Costa Cruises’ Concordia Class, entering service in 2006. On January 13, 2012, she set sail on a 7-night Mediterranean cruise with 3,206 passengers and 1,023 crew members.

Captain Francesco Schettino veered off course, sailing too close to the island of Giglio. The ship struck a large rock, causing a 174-foot gash in the hull, leading to flooding and loss of power. The ship’s rudder position made it unsteerable, and it began tilting toward the starboard side.

The evacuation took over six hours and resulted in 32 deaths. An investigation focused on the crew’s actions, particularly Captain Schettino’s, as he left the ship while passengers were still on board.

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VIDEO: Dream Cruises Creates World's Largest LEGO Ship

Hong Kong -based Dream Cruises built a LEGO replica of World Dream .

The replica of the 151700-GT-ton, 18-deck ship was created using over 2.5 million LEGO blocks and is the biggest LEGO ship to be built to date. It weighs more than 6,173 pounds (2,800 kg) and measures 27.7 feet (8.44 meters) long, 4.36 feet (1.33 meters) wide and 5 feet (1.53 meters) tall.

The giant model ship was constructed by more than 1,000 cruise company guests and members of the public, via the help of Andy Hung Greater China’s first LEGO-certified professional. After 2 months of effort, it was officially unveiled at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Following the final measuring, the cruise line was presented with an official Guinness World Records certificate.

In 2016, employees of DFDS Danish shipping and transport services company built the world’s Largest LEGO ship and successfully created a 39-foot (12-meter long) ship.