At 02.06 hours on 12 July 1940 the unescorted and unarmed Ia was hit aft of amidships by one G7a torpedo from U-99 about 200 miles west-southwest of Cape Clear. The U-boat had spotted the Greek national markings and attacked without warning as the ship was in the blockade area around Britain. The vessel sank within 7 minutes after being hit by one G7e torpedo fired as coup de grâce at 02.48 hours. One officer and two crewmen were lost. The master and 26 crew members had abandoned ship in two lifeboats after the first hit and were questioned by the Germans. The boats reached the Isles of Scilly after five days and were landed at Penzance on 17 July.