unseaworthy

adjective un·sea·wor·thy \ ˌən-ˈsē-ˌwər-t͟hē \

Definition of unseaworthy

:not fit for a sea voyage :not seaworthy

an unseaworthy vessel

Recent Examples of unseaworthy from the Web

Smugglers often cram passengers into unseaworthy vessels—without food, fuel, life jackets, or navigational tools.

— laura reston, New Republic, "A record number of refugees are braving the deadly voyage from Libya to Italy.," 1 Aug. 2017
Over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of migrants, fleeing conflict, poverty or persecution, have been rescued at sea from unseaworthy smugglers’ vessels that set off from Libya, and brought to Italian shores.

— Washington Post, "UN agency: survivors says some 126 migrants died in wreck," 19 June 2017
By Frances D’emilio, The Associated Press ROME — Italian rescue ships have plucked some 2,000 migrants from unseaworthy smugglers’ boats off the coast of Libya, with hundreds of them arriving Saturday in southern Italian ports.

— frances d'emilio, The Denver Post, "Italy plucks 2,000 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea," 15 Apr. 2017
Evidence gathered will be referred to prosecutors for potential charges of negligence and operating an unseaworthy vessel, police said.

— anita rachman, WSJ, "Indonesia Ferry Captain Investigated Over Deadly Fire," 3 Jan. 2017
The policy is meant to discourage such migrants, many of whose voyages have ended in disaster after people smugglers pushed them out to sea from Indonesian ports, crowded onto unseaworthy vessels.

— michelle innis and somini sengupta, New York Times, "U.S., in Deal With Australia, Agrees to Take Some Refugees NOV. 12, 2016," 25 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unseaworthy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.