AH-WR-1517

HMS Ontario

Sloop Of War · Great Britain · Lost 1780 · Lake Ontario & the St. Lawrence

A British warship lost with all aboard on Lake Ontario in 1780, found intact in 2008.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

HMS Ontario was a British sloop of war built on Lake Ontario in 1780. On 31 October 1780 she foundered in a storm with all aboard, including soldiers and some prisoners. Her loss was among the worst on the lake. Her wreck was found in 2008, remarkably intact, and is protected as a war grave.

Vessel

Built: 1780
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: Not established
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Sail, brig-sloop rig
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: October 31, 1780
Cause: Storm
Location: Lake Ontario, off Oswego, New York
Water: Lake Ontario
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: All aboard were lost; estimates range from about 80 to 130 people.
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: 2008
Protection: Protected as a war grave

Position

Coordinates: 43.60° N 76.70° W
Accuracy: General area only
Nearest: Oswego, New York
Region: Lake Ontario & the St. Lawrence

Pin marks the named place of loss, not a surveyed wreck position.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (75/100)

Exact wreck position, depth and present condition are not established in the sources reviewed.

Naval History and Heritage Command
Loss context.