Laconikos
Greek Steam merchant
Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Laconikos | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3,803 tons | ||
| Completed | 1914 - C. Connell & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Maris A. Embiricos, Athens | ||
| Homeport | Andros | ||
| Date of attack | 7 May 1943 | Nationality:  Greek | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-89 (Dietrich Lohmann) | ||
| Position | 41° 40'N, 18° 13'W - Grid CF 3486 | ||
| Complement | 34 (23 dead and 11 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SL-128 | ||
| Route | Takoradi – Freetown (20 Apr) - Ardrossan | ||
| Cargo | 5200 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 board | We have details of 3 people who were on board. | ||
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