SS Prinses Astrid was a Belgian cross-Channel ferry struck a naval mine off the coast of Dunkirk, France and sank with the loss of five of her 65 crew. All 60 survivors and 218 passengers on board were rescued by (France) and various tugs from Dunkirk. Construction SS Prinses Astrid was built in Hoboken, Antwerp, Belgium at the Cockerill shipyard in 1929 as a cross-Channel ferry for the Belgian Government. She was launched on 20 July 1929 and completed in April 1930. She made her maiden voyage from Ostend to Dover on 24 April 1930. The ship was long, with a beam of and a depth of . The ship was assessed at . She had six steam turbines driving two screw propellers and the engine was rated at 2.779 nhp. She could also carry 2,950 tons of cargo as well as 1,400 passengers and 65 crew. Pre-War career From 1930 to 1940, Prinses Astrid was a cross-Channel ferry which was operated by the Belgian Government and sailed the Ostend-Dover line. World War II When Germany invaded Belgium on 10 May 1940, many Belgian citizens fled their country. On 18 May 1940, Prinses Astrid left Ostend harbor with Belgian refugees en route to Southampton, United Kingdom. From 23 May 1940 forward, Prinses Astrid sailed for the British Ministry of War Transport and she was used for the evacuation of 1,556 English soldiers from France in Operation Aerial from 12 June to 15 June 1940 following Belgium's surrender. She was also used for the evacuation of the Channel Islands Jersey and Guernsey between 20 June and 22 June 1940. Prinses Astrid sailed with an Ostend crew until 27 September 1940, on 28 September 1940 she was taken over by the British Royal Navy. In January 1941, the ship was taken to the Naval Dockyard in Devonport where she was rebuilt to a Landing Ship Infantry and on 26 May 1941, Prinses Astrid was renamed HMS Prinses Astrid (LSI(S)-4226). In June 1941, HMS Prinses Astrid sailed to Inveraray to join the fleet which remained stand-by for the landing in the Azores (Operation Truster). As preparation for the operation in August 1941, Prinses Astrid was sent to Scapa Flow for training. Due to electrical problems, the ship was not able to participate in Operation Truster. On 20 September 1941, Prinses Astrid arrived in Inveraray to serve as an accommodation ship for Combined Operations