Ships hit by U-boats


Laconikos

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameLaconikos
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,803 tons
Completed1914 - C. Connell & Co Ltd, Glasgow 
OwnerMaris A. Embiricos, Athens 
HomeportAndros 
Date of attack7 May 1943Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-89 (Dietrich Lohmann)
Position41° 40'N, 18° 13'W - Grid CF 3486
Complement34 (23 dead and 11 survivors).
ConvoySL-128
RouteTakoradi – Freetown (20 Apr) - Ardrossan 
Cargo5200 tons of manganese ore 
History Completed in May 1914 as British Navigator for Charente SS Co Ltd (T. & J. Harrison), Liverpool. 1932 sold to Greece and renamed Laconicos for Maris A. Embiricos, Athens. 1933 renamed Laconikos for the same owner. 
Notes on event

At 12.00 hours on 7 May 1943, U-89 carried out a submerged daylight attack on convoy SL-128 northeast of the Azores, observed one hit by a torpedo with a magnetic pistol on a large freighter and later heard sinking noises. The master of Laconikos (Master Charalambos Diabatides) in station #53 had spotted two torpedo tracks approaching from the port bow and tried to evade the torpedoes, but one hit aft in #4 hold and caused the ship to sink by the stern within 30 seconds. There was no time to launch the lifeboats and the survivors rescued themselves on rafts or clung to debris until they were picked up after 90 minutes by HMS Shippigan (J 212) (Cdr M.H. Brown, DSC, RN). The survivors were landed at Londonderry on 13 May.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board


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