The British merchant ship Gairsoppa was struck in the North Atlantic off the Irish coast at a depth of 4,700 metres, carrying 200 tonnes of silver (in the form of ingots and coins) in addition to 2,600 tonnes of pig iron, 1,765 tonnes of tea and 2,369 tonnes of other cargo.
She was sunk on the night of 16-17 February 1941 by a German submarine U-101 under the command of Captain Ernst Mengersen (Type VIIB) by a torpedo attack. Due to the very bad weather, almost the entire 86-man crew of the 5,237 GRT merchant vessel was lost, with only 1 sailor surviving.
The silver cargo is to be recovered and 80% of it will be retained by the finder, the remaining 20% will go to the former owner of the cargo - the United Kingdom
She was sunk on the night of 16-17 February 1941 by a German submarine U-101 under the command of Captain Ernst Mengersen (Type VIIB) by a torpedo attack. Due to the very bad weather, almost the entire 86-man crew of the 5,237 GRT merchant vessel was lost, with only 1 sailor surviving.
The silver cargo is to be recovered and 80% of it will be retained by the finder, the remaining 20% will go to the former owner of the cargo - the United Kingdom