Italian submarine fates
Ships hit by Italian submarines
Cardina
| Type | Cargo ship | |||
| Country |  Panamanian | |||
| Built | 1919 | GRT | 5,586 | |
| Date of attack | 15 Jun 1942 | Time | 2400 | |
| Fate | Sunk by submarine Archimede (T.V. Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia) | |||
| Position of attack | 3° 55'N, 42° 40'W | |||
| Complement | 34 (no casualties, 34 survivors) | |||
| Convoy | ||||
| Notes | At 1315 hours, in 03°55' N, 42°40' W, a steamer was observed steering 315° at 9 knots. At 1630 hours, two torpedoes (450mm) were fired from the stern tubes at a distance of 1,500 metres. One scored a hit after 78 seconds. This was the Panamanian Cardina (5,586 GRT, built 1919) on passage from Buenos Aires to New York via Trinidad, carrying 7,000 tons of Linseed. According to T.V. Gazzana Priaroggia, she fired one round at the submarine's periscope. Survivor reports do not mention that gunfire was used. The torpedo had hit in hold no. 5 and the crew quickly abandoned ship without orders. However, as the ship did not sink, the crew returned aboard within the hour. Some repairs were made and an SOS sent although it does not appear to have been received. In the meantime, Archimede had moved away, to a distance of 5,000 metres, to verify if the ship was sinking. At 2400 hours, when the target did not seem to sink, a torpedo (533mm, S.I. 270 type) was fired from 300 metres and hit, making a large hole in her side. The submarine fired eleven 100mm rounds, three at least scored hits and she finally sank at 0045 hours. The thirty-four survivors were distributed in four lifeboats and reached Salinas (Brazil). There were no casualties. | |||