fuckyeahwrecks:

This Day In Wrecks

1871:  A boiler on the Westfield, one of the ships serving as a Staten Island Ferry, explodes at South Ferry, Manhattan.  Over 85 people are killed.

1945:  The USS Indianapolis is struck by a torpedo fired by Japanese submarine I-58 and sinks in only 12 minutes.  880 of her 1,196 man crew are left waiting in the water for rescue; exposure, dehydration and shark attacks ultimately kill all but 317 of them. 

Robert Shaw’s speech from Jaws is a well known reference to the sinking, despite some errors (including the date).  (video)

1971: Pan Am Flight 845 takes off at an incorrectly calculated speed and is unable to clear the runway lighting system, sustaining damage and injuring some passengers.  The pilots are able to land the plane after dumping fuel, with no fatalities.  photos

Check out the photos!