The greatest maritime disasters, as listed by the International Registry of Sunken Ships according to the number of lives lost, are listed below. The top 20 include casualties on a single vessel, either naval or civilian, and exclude the loss of dockside or rescue personnel.

1. Wilhelm Gustloff – Jan 30, 1945. Loss of Life: 5,900 to 7,000.

A German steamer of 25,484 tons. The ship was torpedoed by Russian submarine S-13 about 28 miles north-northeast of Leba, Baltic.

2. Goya – Apr 16, 1945. Loss of Life: 6,200.

A German steamer of 5,230 tons. It was torpedoed by Russian submarine L-3 off Rixhoft, Baltic.

3. Junyo Maru – Sept 18, 1944. Loss of Life: 5,620.

A Japanese steamer of 5,065 tons. It was torpedoed by British submarine HMS Tradewind off coast of Sumatra. Vessel carrying 2,300 Dutch, British, American and Australian POW's and 4,200 Javanese slave laborers for work on a railway in Sumatra.

4. Toyama Maru – June 29, 1944. Loss of Life: 5,400.

A Japanese steamer of 6,000 tons. It was torpedoed by American submarine USS Sturgeon. Bound for Okinawa, the vessel was carrying at least 6,000 members of the Japanese 44th Independent Mixed Brigade. About 600 survivors were rescued by escorts.

5. Cap Arcona – May 3, 1945. Loss of Life: 5,000 to 7,000.

A German steamer of 27,561 tons. It was attacked and sunk by British aircraft at Neustadt Bay, Baltic. Included in the number are 2,300 forced embarkees from concentration camps.

6. Lancastria – June 17, 1940. Loss of Life: 3,000 to 4,500.

A British Troopship of 16,243 tons. It was sunk by German air attack off St. Nazaire while engaged in troop evacuation. Site is a designated war grave. Some lists show up to 9,000 on board with up to 7,000 killed. The official British report on casualties will not be released until 2010.

7. Dona Paz – Dec 20, 1987. Loss of Life: 4,341.

A Philippine passenger ferry. It foundered in collision with the tanker Vector about 110 miles South of Manila.

8. Kiangya – Dec 3, 1948. Loss of Life: 2,750 to 3,920.

A Chinese steamer of 2,100 tons. It struck a mine off Woosung, China.

9. Provence 11 – Feb 26, 1916. Loss of Life: 3,100.

A French auxiliary Cruiser of 13,753 tons. It was torpedoed by U-35 West of Kithira Island, Greece.

10. Thielbek – May 3, 1945. Loss of Life: 2,800.

A German steamer of 2,815 tons. It burned and sunk after British air attack at Lubeck Bay. Passengers included inmates from Neuengamme Concentration Camp. There were no survivors.

11. General von Steuben – Feb 10, 1945. Loss of Life: 2,700.

A German steamer of 14,666 tons. It was torpedoed by a Russian submarine S-13 off Stolpe Bank, Baltic.

12. Yamato – Apr 7, 1945. Loss of Life: 2,500.

A Japanese battleship of 64,000 tons. It was sunk by U.S. air attack between Japan and Okinawa.

13. Neptunia – Sept 18, 1941. Loss of Life: 2,500.

An Italian transport of 19,475 tons. It was torpedoed by British submarine HMS Upholder about 58 miles off Tripoli carrying Italian military.

14. Oceania – Sept 18, 1941. Loss of Life: 2,500.

An Italian transport of 19,507 tons. It was torpedoed by British submarine HMS Upholder near Tripoli carrying Italian military.

15. Bismarck – May 27, 1941. Loss of Life: At least 2,108.

The ship was 49,136 tons. Out of her total complement of 2,221 men, there were 115 survivors.

16. Sinfra – Oct 19, 1943. Loss of Life: 2,098.

A French steamer of 4,470 tons. In German hands, it was sunk by aircraft attack North of Crete. The vessel was carrying 2,664 prisoners on board, mostly Italian.

17. Ural Maru – Sept 27, 1944. Loss of Life: 2,000.

A Japanese transport of 6,374 tons. It was torpedoed by USS Flasher about 150 miles West of Masinlik, Philippine Islands. It had been carrying 2,340 people on board.

18. Awa Maru – April 1, 1945. Loss of Life: At least 2,000.

A Japanese hospital ship of 11,249 tons. It was Torpedoed by USS Queenfish about 14 miles off the Chinese Mainland. It had been carrying several wounded soldiers, and 2,000 Japanese officials, diplomats, technicians and civilians.

19. Scharnhorst – Dec 26, 1943. Loss of Life: 1,964.

A German battleship of 38,092 tons. It was sunk by British naval action off North Cape of Norway.

20. Rigel – Nov 27, 1944. Loss of Life: 1,833.

A Norwegian transport of 3,828 tons. It was sunk by aircraft from HMS Implacable North of Namsos while Southbound from Norway to Germany. Crew and 2,248 Russian prisoners were on board. The vessel was in German hands.