List of shipwrecks in May 1939

The list of shipwrecks in May 1939 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during May 1939.

1 May

 * SS Bengt Sture (🇸🇪 Sweden): The cargo ship ran aground at Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, United Kingdom. Later refloated undamaged.

4 May

 * SS Bardaland (🇸🇪 Sweden): The cargo ship ran aground off Danzig, Germany owing to failure of her steering gear. Refloated later that day.

5 May

 * SS Mayon (🇺🇸 United States): The cargo ship ran aground south of the Apo Lighthouse, Negros Island, Philippines. Refloated on 22 May and sailed to Manila, Philippines for repairs.

6 May

 * SS Seisho Maru (🇯🇵 Japan): The cargo ship ran aground in Tokyo Bay. Refloated undamaged later that day.
 * SS Vathy of Samos (🇬🇷 Greece): The cargo ship ran aground at Kalloni.

7 May

 * SS Kalipso (🇦🇺 Australia): World War II: The coaster caught fire and sank in the Clarence River, New South Wales.

9 May

 * MV Alsia (🇩🇰 Denmark): The cargo liner caught fire 20 nmi south of Barberyn Island, Ceylon. The crew abandoned ship and were taken on board SS Canton (🇬🇧 United Kingdom. She came ashore still burning at Uduwata Point, Galle on 11 May. The gutted ship broke her back and was a total loss.
 * SS Arantzazu Mendi (🇪🇸 Spain): The cargo ship ran aground at Kearney Point, County Down, Northern Ireland. She broke her back on 14 May, and was consequently scrapped.
 * SS Dorothy Luckenbach (🇺🇸 United States): The tanker ran aground in the Crocket Channel. Refloated undamaged on 11 May.
 * SS Hochelaga (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Refloated the next day.
 * SS Lindenbank (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground on the Arena Islands, Philippines. She was refloated but then sank.
 * SS Malacca Maru (🇯🇵 Japan): The cargo ship ran aground on Wood Island whilst on a voyage from Singapore to Osaka and broke her back. She was declared a total loss.
 * HMAS Tattoo : The S-class destroyer was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off New South Wales.

10 May

 * SS Lindenbank (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground on a reef off Arena Island, Sulu Sea, Philippines. She was refloated, but foundered after 5 nmi. All crew rescued by USS Pope (DD-225).
 * SS Medee (🇫🇷 France): The cargo ship ran aground at Ouistreham, Calvados.
 * SS Villa Franca (🇵🇹 Portugal): The cargo ship ran aground at Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. Refloated the next day.

11 May

 * SS Pikepool (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground in the Uruguay River 6 nmi downstream of Fray Bentos, Uruguay. Refloated on 18 May.

12 May

 * SS Comol Rico (🇺🇸 United States): The tanker ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana. Refloated the next day.

13 May

 * SS Prestatyn Rose (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. Refloated later that day.

15 May

 * SS Fjeld (🇳🇴 Norway): The cargo ship ran aground at Nantes, Loire-Aquetaine, France. Refloated later that day with severe damage.
 * SS Signfred (🇸🇪 Sweden): The cargo ship ran aground at Kalmar. She was refloated damaged on 17 May and sailed to Oscarhamn for repairs.

16 May

 *  Colne (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The Thames barge collided with MV San Andres (🇳🇴 Norway) in the River Thames at Blackwall Point and was severely damaged. She was beached at Point Wharf, Greenwich.

17 May

 * SS Aden (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The dredger capsized at 55.63333°N, -1.33333°W whilst under tow.

18 May

 *  Benjamin F. Packard (🇺🇸 United States): World War II: The full-rigged ship was scuttled off Long Island, New York.

19 May

 * MV Rosedene (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The coaster ran aground at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Somme, France. Refloated undamaged the next day.

20 May

 * SS Aquarius (🇺🇸 United States): The cargo ship caught fire whilst laid up at New Orleans, Louisiana and was severely damaged.
 * SS Gunny (🇸🇪 Sweden): The cargo ship ran aground at Gisslan and was severely damaged. Refloated on 22 May and sailed to Gefle.
 * SS Silver Sword (🇺🇸 United States): The cargo ship ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana. Refloated the next day.

21 May

 * SS Consul Hintz (🇩🇪 Germany): The cargo ship ran aground on Someri, Finland. Refloated the next day. Arrived on 28 Mayat Helsinki for drydocking.
 * SS Eha (🇪🇪 Estonia): The cargo ship ran aground on Märket, Baltic Sea and was waterlogged. The crew abandoned ship.
 * SS Saimaa (🇫🇮 Finland): The cargo ship ran aground on Someri.

22 May

 * SS Dicky (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship collided in the River Thames at Rainham, Essex with MV Valparaiso (🇸🇪 Sweden) and was extensively damaged. She was beached to prevent her sinking. Refloated on 24 May.
 * SS Kankyo Maru (🇯🇵 Japan): SS Tsunchiko Maru (🇯🇵 Japan) collided with Kankyo Maru at Shimonoseki, damaging her severely. She then collided with SS Zuiko Maru (🇯🇵 Japan). Kankyo Maru sank with the loss of sixteen crew.

23 May

 * USS Squalus (SS-192) : The Sargo-class submarine sank off the Isles of Shoals with the loss of 26 crew.

26 May

 * SS Huasco (🇨🇱 Chile): The passenger ship capsized and sank in Talcahuano Bay.

27 May

 * SS France (1909) (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship foundered in the Caribbean Sea off Georgetown, British Guiana.
 * SS Polzella) (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship became stranded on the Payung Reef, off Batavia (Jakarta), Dutch East Indies. Refloated on 1 June.
 * MV Yewmount (🇬🇧 United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Deauville, Lower Normandy, France. Refloated undamaged later that day.