U-218 Wreck

Field Value
U-218 Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		55 29.974 N,7 25.947 W
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 55.499570
  • Longitude: -7.432450
Name U-218
Type submarine
Date Sunk Dec 4, 1945
Original Source Brady et. al. 2012, 154; Miller 2000, 27; Möller & Brack 2004, 94; Rossler 1981, 54-5; Wynn 1997, Vol. i, 15; www.periscopepublishing.com
WRECK MAP LOADING ... 55 29.974 N,7 25.947 W
U-218 on Wreck Map U-218 Wreck on Google Map
Wreck No: W10125, Place of Loss: 13km NNW of Malin Head, Co. Donegal, Source of Coordinate: GSI Wreck Data, Description: U-218 was one of six Type VIID German submarines commissioned and the only one of its type to survive the war. It weighed 965 tons surfaced, measured 77m long and could carry a crew of up to 44 men. It was capable of 16 knots on the surface, had 2,800–3,200 horsepower engines and a range of 8,100 nautical miles if travelling on the surface at 12 knots. It could reach a maximum depth of 200m and could carry up to 15 mines and 14 torpedoes. It was built by F.G. Krupp Germania Werft AG in Kiel, launched in December 1941 and commissioned into service in January 1942. Commanders of the vessel at different stages in its career were Kapitänleutnant Richard Becker and Kapitänleutnant Rupprecht Stock. U-218 spent most of its service operating in the Atlantic and had a number of lucky escapes, sustaining serious damage on several occasions. In October 1942, U-218 was ordered to Gibraltar to attack the Allied Forces invading North Africa, but the submarine was forced to return to its naval base at Brest after being damaged by depth charges from HMS Wrestler. On 2 August 1943 U-218 narrowly escaped destruction after it was attacked while searching in the Bay of Biscay for survivors from the destroyed U-383. A Wellington aircraft from Squadron 547/B attacked the U-boat, causing some damage and injuring six crew. Depth charges dropped by the Wellington failed to sink U-218, but did force it to return to base for repairs. The submarine had a small number of successes, damaging a convoy ship with torpedoes in August 1942. In September 1943, after laying 12 mines in the Caribbean, U-218 sank a sailing freighter off Trinidad. In 1944 U-218 laid mines in the English Channel, causing damage to SS Empire Halberd and sinking a 352-ton minesweeper trawler, the Kurd. In April 1945 one of its mines sank the fishing trawler Ethel Crawford west of Ailsa Craig, while it was operating off Scotland. By the time the war had ended, U-218 had sunk three ships and damaged two others. It surrendered at Bergen, Norway, on 8 May 1945. From there it was transferred to Loch Ryan in Scotland, to be scuttled as part of Operation Deadlight. On 4 December 1945, while being towed out by HMS Southdown, it sank 13km NNW of Malin Head. The wreck of U-218 was identified by divers during the Operation Deadlight Expedition in 2001. The wreck sits on the seabed, with a 45-degree list to port. Apart from minor damage to the bow and stern, and the loss of the conning tower cladding, it is completely intact. The five-chute mine section behind the conning tower is reminiscent of a modern ballistic missile submarine and the huge chutes, running all the way through the depth of the hull, are easily big enough for a diver to swim through. The wreck measures 65m in length, 7m in width and 3.9m in maximum height, with an average height of 2.2m. The submarine is orientated NNW–SSE on the seafloor. Sediment scouring has occurred around the vessel.

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FAQ

Where is the U-218 wreck located?

The U-218 wreck is located at coordinates 55 29.974 N,7 25.947 W.

When did the U-218 sink?

The U-218 sank on Dec 4, 1945.

What type of wreck is the U-218?

The U-218 is classified as a submarine.

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