Italian submarine fates

Ships hit by Italian submarines


Eirini Kyriakides

TypeCargo ship
CountryGreek Greek
Built1922GRT3,781

Date of attack13 Jun 1941Time0536-0538
0335 (e)
FateSunk by submarine Benedetto Brin (C.C. Luigi Longanesi Cattani)
Position of attack38° 40'N, 24° 00'W
Complement31 (31 dead, no survivors)
ConvoySL 76
Notes From 0536 to 0538 hours, Benedetto Brin launched four stern torpedoes aimed at three merchant ships in convoy SL. 76. Longanesi Cattani claimed that all four hits and the three merchant ships immediately sank. In fact two had been hit, the Free French Djurdjura (3460 GRT, built 1922), carrying iron ore from Pepel to Oban, and the Greek Eirini Kyriakides (3781 GRT, 1922) carrying iron ore from Lourençô Marques to Adrossan. Both sank.

Djurdjura had a crew of thirty-eight, only five were saved. Eirini Kyriakides had a crew of thirty-one, none survived. The submarine then dived for eight hours to reload tubes and lost contact with the convoy.

At that time, it was the only instance of an Italian submarine penetrating a convoy for a successful attack.

Position of attack

Ships hit by Italian submarines