Scuttling

The Monument to the Sunken Ships, dedicated to ships destroyed during the siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, designed by Amandus Adamson

A ship is scuttled when its crew deliberately sinks it, typically by opening holes in its hull.[1]

Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vessel from becoming a navigation hazard; as an act of self-destruction to prevent the ship from being captured by an enemy force; as a blockship to restrict navigation through a channel or within a harbor; to provide an artificial reef for divers and marine life; or to alter the flow of rivers.

  1. ^ "Definition of SCUTTLE". Merriam-Webster. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.