Vaijan KuturŽe
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| Name | Vaijan KuturŽe | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 7,602 tons | ||
| Completed | 1932 - Zavod No 198 (Andre Marti), Nikolaev | ||
| Owner | ChABU/NKMF | ||
| Homeport | Tuapse | ||
| Date of attack | 16 Jan 1944 | Nationality:  Soviet | |
| Fate | A total loss by U-20 (Karl Grafen) | ||
| Position | 42.21N, 41.31E - Grid CS 1672 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 64 (4 dead and 60 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Batumi - Tuapse | ||
| Cargo | Petrol and black oil | ||
| History | Completed in February 1932 as Soyuz Metallistov for STF-ChGK. 1934 transferred to Sovtanker and renamed Nikolaj Janson. 1939 renamed Vaijan KuturŽe and transferred to ChABU on 1 Jul, 1941. In September 1941, the tanker evacuated grain in her tanks from Feodosia to Poti and Novorossisk and in December she was sent to North Russia, but was recalled to the Black Sea in February 1942. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 16.23 hours on 16 Jan, 1944, U-20 fired three torpedoes at Vaijan KuturŽe off Cape Anakria and hit her in the stern with one torpedo that caused the ship to sink at 06.08 hours the next morning. When the U-boat passed the sinking position two days later several oil patches were observed. The survivors were rescued by the escort of four minesweepers and ten patrol boats. On 6 Oct, 1945, the Vaijan KuturŽe was raised from 50 metres and returned to service in 1954, transferred to DGMP in 1959 and was written off in 1975. | ||
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