2 ), ▁and ▁four ▁others . ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁ ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁she ▁was ▁sp otted ▁by ▁U - 8 5 2 , ▁which ▁was ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁her ▁pat rol ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁secret ▁nature ▁of ▁ ▁U - 8 5 2 ’ s ▁ ▁mission , ▁her ▁captain ▁Hein z - Wil helm ▁E ck ▁decided ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁Pe le us ; ▁tracking ▁her ▁until ▁night fall , ▁U - 8 5 2 ▁closed ▁with ▁her ▁target ▁on ▁the ▁surface ▁and ▁fired ▁two ▁tor ped o es ▁at ▁close ▁range . ▁Pe le us ▁was ▁hit , ▁the ▁first ▁expl oding ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁two ▁hold , ▁the ▁second ▁just ▁a ft ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁three ▁hold . ▁ ▁She ▁quickly ▁broke ▁up , ▁s inking ▁in ▁three ▁minutes ; ▁all ▁that ▁was ▁left ▁of ▁her ▁was ▁fl ots am , ▁including ▁several ▁lif era ft s , ▁and ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁her ▁crew , ▁perhaps ▁half ▁their ▁number . ▁ ▁E ck ▁took ▁two ▁men ▁ab o ard ▁for ▁inter rog ation , ▁Ag is ▁K ef al as , ▁the ▁Third ▁Officer , ▁and ▁Pierre ▁Ne uman , ▁a ▁se aman ; ▁having ▁established ▁her ▁name ▁and ▁details , ▁he ▁returned ▁them ▁to ▁their ▁ra ft . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁point ▁E ck ▁decided ▁he ▁must ▁hide ▁the ▁evidence ▁of ▁his ▁action ▁by ▁destroy ing ▁the ▁de br is , ▁including ▁the