HNLMS K XVI in the
Dutch East Indies, circa 1939, shortly before the outbreak of
World War II.
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History | |
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Netherlands | |
Name | HNLMS K XVI |
Ordered | 30 May 1929 |
Awarded | 31 May 1930 |
Builder | Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij |
Laid down | 8 April 1933 |
Commissioned | 31 January 1934 |
Fate | Sunk on 25 December 1941 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | K XIV-class submarine |
Displacement |
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Length | 73.64 m (241 ft 7 in) |
Beam | 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) |
Draught | 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Complement | 38 |
Armament |
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HNLMS K XVI was one of five K XIV-class submarines built for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). Entering service in 1934, the submarine was deployed to the Netherlands East Indies. On 24 December 1941, K XVI torpedoed and sank the Sagiri; the first Allied submarine to sink a Japanese warship. A day later, the Dutch submarine was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-66 (later renumbered to be I-166) off Borneo, with all aboard killed. The wreck of K XVI was rediscovered in October 2011 by a group of recreational divers.
K XVI was ordered from Rotterdam-based shipbuilder Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij on 30 May 1929, and was laid down on 31 May 1930. [1] The submarine was launched on 8 April 1933, and commissioned into the RNN on 31 January 1934. [1]
In January 1935, the boat was deployed to the Netherlands East Indies. [1] She remained in this area after the start of World War II. [1]
On 24 December 1941, approximately 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) off Kuching at 02°30′N 109°50′E / 2.500°N 109.833°E, the submarine torpedoed and sank the Sagiri. [2] [3] [4] The destroyer's aft magazine caught fire and exploded, sinking the ship with 121 of the 241 personnel aboard killed. [3] [4] Later that evening, the submarine attempted to attack the destroyer Murakumo, but was fended off by depth charges. [1]
K XVI was torpedoed by the I-66 a day later, and sank with all 36 aboard. [1] [2] The boat was one of seven Dutch submarines lost during World War II. [2]
On 25 October 2011, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced that the wreck of K XVI had been found by Australian and Singaporean recreational divers off the northern coast of Borneo. [2]