Italian submarine fates
Ships hit by Italian submarines
Nikoklis
| Type | Cargo ship | |||
| Country |  Greek | |||
| Built | 1921 | GRT | 3,576 | |
| Date of attack | 15 Jul 1941 | Time | 0112 | |
| Fate | Sunk by submarine Alessandro Malaspina (T.V. Giuliano Prini) | |||
| Position of attack | 35° 51'N, 25° 31'W | |||
| Complement | 28 (17 dead and 11 survivors) | |||
| Convoy | ex-OG 67d | |||
| Notes | At 2215 hours on 14th July, a steamer was sighted in 36°06' N, 21°21' W. Malaspina dived and followed her submerged. At 2325 hours, the submarine surfaced at a distance of 3,000 metres to seek a position of attack ahead of her target. At 2351 hours, a radio signal was intercepted leaving little doubt that Malaspina had been sighted. The vessel now turned away and appeared to put her best speed to escape from her pursuer and this was a little over 10 knots. At 0110 hours, the submarine fired a pair of torpedoes (one 533mm, S.I. 270 type, one 450mm, W 200 type) from her bow tubes at a distance of 700 metres. Before the torpedoes reached their target, T.V. Prini ordered the firing of a third torpedo (533mm, S.I. 270 type). Two torpedoes were seen to hit, both of the 533mm type. The first hit amidship, the second appeared to hit the engine room. The vessel broke in two and sank in three minutes. The 450mm torpedo was observed to have an irregular course and apparently missed ahead. This was the Greek Nikoklis (3,576 GRT, built 1921) detached from convoy OG.67d. Seventeen were killed and eleven survived. Prini thought they were picked up by the Spanish vessels Campeche and Campero (this was an error). In fact, thirteen survivors reached Cape Juby (Morocco), but two died before they landed. They were later brought to Las Palmas by a Spanish steamer. | |||