Ships hit by U-boats


Predsednik Kopajtic

Yugoslavian Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Marijan Zuvic

NamePredsednik Kopajtic
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage1,798 tons
Completed1928 - Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Port Glasgow 
OwnerJadranska Plovidba DD, Susak 
HomeportSplit 
Date of attack21 Sep 1942Nationality:      Yugoslavian
 
FateSunk by U-175 (Heinrich Bruns)
Position8° 14'N, 59° 04'W - Grid EO 1865
Complement28 (3 dead and 25 survivors).
Convoy
RouteChaguaramas, Trinidad (19 Sep) - Georgetown, British Guiana 
CargoWater ballast 
History Completed in September 1928

The Predsednik Kopajtic picked up six survivors from Prescodoc which had been sunk by U-160 (Lassen) on 29 July 1942 and brought them to Port of Spain, Trinidad. 
Notes on event

At 06.40 hours on 21 September 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Predsednik Kopajtic (Master Oscar Seidel) was hit on port side underneath the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-175, while steaming on a non-evasive course at 7 knots in clear weather about 100 miles north-northwest of Georgetown, British Guiana. The U-boat had chased the ship for one hour and missed with a first G7e torpedo at 06.39 hours. The explosion collapsed the bridge including the wireless room and destroyed the port lifeboat, however the engines were not damaged but secured at once. The flooding of #2 hold caused the Predsednik Kopajtic to list heavily to port and to sink within 7 minutes. The master and two crew members were lost. The survivors had abandoned ship in the starboard lifeboat, which was not spotted by the U-boat that briefly investigated the sinking position about half an hour after the attack. In the afternoon on 22 September the lifeboat was taken in tow by the Canadian steam merchant Ganandoc and dropped off Waini Point seven hours later from where the boat made it to Morawhanna. They were taken to Georgetown by the coaster Tarpon of the Government of British Guiana, arriving on 25 September.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board


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