At 13.40 hours on 24 August, the unescorted Abbekerk (Master C. Wijker) was inspected by HNoMS Eglantine (K 197) in 49°45N/33°33W about 15 miles southeast of convoy ONS-122 and was shortly thereafter spotted by U-604 which was searching convoy. The U-boat began to chase the fast and zigzagging ship and only managed to get into a favorable attack position after more than 12 hours, firing a spread of three torpedoes from a distance of 1500 meters at 03.48 hours. One torpedo was probably a dud but another struck on the starboard side amidships and stopped the ship with a slight list to starboard. At 03.56 hours, U-604 fired a coup de grâce that hit astern of the funnel after 54 seconds, causing her to settle fast by the bow and to sink after two boiler explosions at 04.20 hours. All crew members except the first mate and a cook managed to abandon ship in two lifeboats and were not located by the U-boat that searched the sinking position for questioning the survivors. The lifeboats set sail for Ireland and were spotted by HMS Wallflower (K 44) (Lt G.R. Greaves, RNR), escorting convoy ON-124. The corvette picked up the survivors and later distributed them on several ships in convoy, transferring 18 to the Dutch steam merchant Jan van Goyen.