Found last September, but they wanted to keep it quiet until closer to the anniversary. "German researchers have discovered the wreck of U-581, a Nazi sub that sunk near the Azores in February 1942. The 220-foot-long VIIC U-boat—the same type of sub featured in the classic films Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark—was found broken in two, and at a depth of nearly 3,000 feet. Researchers with the German Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation found the wreck last September, but chose to withhold the finding until the precise identity of the sub could be confirmed, and because they wanted to make the announcement public on the 75th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. Working aboard the dive boat LULA 1000, the researchers were able to take hi-resolution pictures of the sunken submarine, revealing its condition and the many corals now clinging to its outer shell." http://gizmodo.com/nazi-sub-portrayed-in-raiders-of-the-lost-ark-discovere-1791970995
http://uboat.net/boats/u581.htm http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/02/06/german-ww-ii-u-boat-discovered-off-azores.html
The following is taken from - The Anti Submarine Warfare Division of the Naval Staff February 1942 THE " LLANGIBBY CASTLE " AND THE SINKING OF " U 581 " At 0917 on the 16th January, 1942, the Union Castle liner " Llangibby Castle " with over a thousand men on board, was struck right aft by a torpedo, which blew away her steering gear and rudder. Her main engines were untouched and, leaving her convoy, she made for the Azores. Despite bad weather and an attack by a Focke-Wulf aircraft, she reached Horta on the 19th January. H.M. Ships " Westcott," " Croome " and " Exmoor " were sent to escort " Llangibby Castle " to Gibraltar. In the afternoon of the 1st February " Westcott " entered the Fayal Channel and had a conference with the liner's Master and the Master of the Dutch tug " Thames," which had been sent to her assistance. It was then agreed to leave it to the former to decide whether he turned north or south on leaving the harbour. Expecting that the enemy would have U-Boats lying in wait at both ends of the channel by which " Llangibby Castle " would have to leave Horta, " Westcott " stationed " Exmoor " at the northern entrance and " Croome " at the southern. After the conference, " Westcott " steered north and, after meeting " Exmoor " at about midnight, proceeded round the Island of Fayal and joined " Croome." At 0745 on the 2nd February, " Croome " obtained contact in a position four or five miles to the south-westward of St. Mattheus Point on Pico Island ; " Westcott " closed and both ships Jay to, trying to classify the echo, which, though good, was not free from suspicion. Eventually both ships agreed that it was " non-sub." and " Westcott " went ahead with starboard wheel on. At the time it was still dark, though the moon was full. Almost at once " Westcott " sighted the conning tower of a U-Boat on the starboard bow. It appeared to be steering away from her and making for Pico Island. " Westcott " increased to full speed to ram. Coming tip fine on the U-Boat's quarter, she missed but, having the enemy about 30 ft. on her starboard beam, she fired a pattern of ten depth charges, set shallow, as she went past. " Westcott " went on, turned under full port wheel and renewed the assault. The destroyer and the U-Boat, steering on almost opposite courses, were closing at 40 knots or more. The U-Boat altered to port, " Westcott " swerved to starboard, and then, putting on full port wheel, struck the U-Boat just abaft the conning tower. A few seconds earlier the crew, who had been lined up on deck in readiness, jumped into the water. " Westcott " turned to port in order to ram again, if necessary, but while she was doing so the U-Boat sank. When rescued the German Captain did an unusual thing. He delivered to the Commanding Officer of " Westcott " a formal protest in writing against capture. It was written in English, and ran thus :— PROTEST AGAINST CAPTURE " 1. When being followed up, boat got gradully water without influence of the enemy. The consequence was to rise to the surface as soon as possible. The boat was in distress at sea, 2. According to our navigation (controlled by taking the bearings on the coast) boat was four miles of the coast, before, the persecution ; afterwards boat was steering east-course for some time, later on when coming to the conclusion to emerge about ten minutes 70°. After emerging boat was steaming on 70°. The stream was setting NNE. 3. The boat would have been ready with the lay down 24 hours in a neutral port. 4. In spite of the possibility to shoot, boat I did not lunch torpedos I made no use of the gun because it was the neutral zone. 5. After having seen that the should be rammed in by the destroyer or should be covered with dept charges I commanded : All men off the boat. 6. The depht charges did not disturb the boat hardly because it awson the surface. I myself gave the order to sink the boat. It was flooded by the Chief Engineer who left the sinking boat with me. 7. Of course of above we beg for delivering in a neutral country." (Signed) PFEIFER Kptlt. While the survivors, more than forty in number, were being picked up, the Commanding Officer of " Westcott " had taken the opportunity of fixing the position. Having ascertained that it was outside territorial waters, he .rejected the protest. With regard to the first item, unseaworthy U-Boats, he considered, should stay in harbour and, if at sea, should show " Not under control lights " ; the second was very vague and proved nothing, and his comment on the third was " It would probably have been ready within one minute if the " Llangibby Castle " had been observed to sail." As for the rest of the protest, it seemed to him that after the first attempt at ramming and the pattern of depth charges, there was, justifiably enough, panic on board ; the enemy realised that the outline of the U-Boat had not been lost against the background of Pico Island as had been hoped ; the torpedo tubes were not ready and the gun was out of action ; either through panic or because the U-Boat was too damaged to be fought, they decided, before Westcott " ran in for her second attack, to abandon ship. The destroyers then went on with their patrol. At about 1400 " Llangibby Castle " was observed to be heading into the Fayal Channel. " Westcott " steamed into the Channel and signalled to her to steer for the southern end, which had been so satisfactorily cleared, but her tug had already cast off and she was heading north. It was considered more than likely that, as there had been a U-Boat at the southern end of the Fayal Channel, so there would also be one at the northern. " Westcott " therefore went ahead of the liner, telling her of the good news as she went by, and exhorting her to make for the open sea and to " steam like hell." " Llangibby Castle," however, was headstrong and, refusing to obey her Master and steer north, went off to the west. Later she changed her mind and went east-south-east down the Channel between Pico Island and San Jorge Island. She apparently knew better than her Master for there was a U-Boat lurking off Ribeirinha Point, and it could do nothing but bring up the rear of the convoy as the latter passed between the two islands at 8 knots. Out in the open sea off the south-east end of Pico Island and steering on a course of 090°, the liner, who had been steering by her engines, felt the full force of a south-easterly wind and the Master decided to take a tow from the tug " Thames," who had been following astern of her. By this time it was about 1945 and getting dark. While the tow was being passed, " Croome " sighted the U-Boat some five miles away, as it was coming out of the Channel. " Exmoor " and " Croome " closed and carried out attacks with depth charges and gunfire, which may or may not have discouraged it from continuing to follow farther. On each of the following days shadowing U-Boats were sighted, but " Llangibby Castle " was not attacked, and with all her passengers safely reached Gibraltar.
