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Hunting New England Shipwrecks
Empire Knight
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Empire Knight
(U. S. Coast Guard)Empire Knight
sonar image of stern
(Klein Associates)
Empire Knight bow
on Boon Island Ledge
((U.S. Navy photo)Empire Knight article
Portland Press Herald
17 Feb 1944The table below provides historical and statistical data on the vessel. Some of the information may be incomplete. If you have additions or corrections, please e-mail us at the address listed below.
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Shipwreck Data |
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| Vessel Name | Empire Knight |
| Other Names | |
| Vessel Type | British Freighter |
| Owner | |
| Length / Beam / Draft (feet) | 428' / 56' / |
| Tonnage | 7,244 |
| Hull Construction | Steel |
| Propulsion | Oil / Screw |
| Cargo | General cargo, including large quantities of war supplies |
| Built | 1942 at Sunderland, England |
| Date of Loss | February 11, 1944 |
| Reason for Loss | Struck ledge in storm and broke in half |
| Fatalities | 24 |
| Location | Bow section - on Boon Island Ledge, near Boon Island, ME. Wreckage on shoreward side of ledge. |
| Coordinates (Lat/Lon) | 43-07-00.32 N / 070-25-40.17 W (NOAA AWOIS) |
| Coordinates (Loran C) | |
| Water Depth (feet) | 90' Maximum |
| Typical Visibility (feet) | 10 - 40' |
| Wreck Condition | Large area of wreckage and cargo scattered on side and at base of ledge. |
| Diving Considerations | |
| Other Information | The stern section is located at a water depth of 260', at 43-06-19 N / 070-27-09 W, approximately 2 miles south of Boon Island. Due to the presence of large amounts of hazardous mercury cargo, the U. S. Coast Guard has declared a Permanent Safety Zone around this wreck site. Dredging, diving, salvaging, anchoring and fishing are prohibited in this area. For details on this Permanent Safety Zone, click here. |
Attention Divers The information on this page was obtained from a variety of sources. Although we have attempted to make it as accurate as possible, it may contain errors. For your personal safety, use extreme caution when diving on this wreck. For more information on this wreck's location and history, and water and diving conditions in the area, contact local dive shop personnel, dive charter boat operators and local fishermen. Also check out the other shipwreck Websites listed on our Favorite Links page.
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