his leg between the lifeboat and the ship in the process. At 18:00 pm Prinses Astrid gained a 45-degree list before finally sinking at 18:03 pm. Since the ship sank in shallow water, Prinses Astrid quickly came to rest on a sandbank and her upper deck with the funnels stayed above the water. There was however loss of life, 5 crew members died in the engine room when the mine exploded and 15 people suffered major burns, 4 others including the captain were slightly injured. In total: 60 crew members and all 218 passengers survived the sinking, most of the survivors were rescued by Cap Hatid and brought ashore at Dunkirk. It was later discovered that the mine that Prinses Astrid hit was one of eight mines which were never found by the navy. The British Royal Navy however denied this claim and stated that a boiler must have exploded since they had full faith that the bomb squads of the Royal Navy had successfully cleaned the English Channel of mines. Wreck The wreck is still on the sandbank to this day. In the years following the sinking, passing ships could see the ship's two funnels sticking out of the water and at low tide even the upper decks. As it lay along a busy sea lane it was seen regularly by passengers of passing steamers and became a sort of monument. The site was however also perfect for robbers, but nothing was ever stolen due to the strong and dangerous currents that surround the wreck. Today a buoy marks the site of the wreck as the ship's bow has disappeared completely beneath the sandy sea-bed. Many divers still visit the wreck but can only access the stern since the bow is buried in the sand. Many artifacts such as washbasins and railings can be found around or on the wreck. References Steamships of Belgium Ships sunk by mines 1929 ships Ships built in Belgium Shipwrecks in the English Channel Maritime incidents in 1949