▁to ▁cover ▁a ▁min el ayer ▁as ▁it ▁laid ▁a ▁field ▁to ▁the ▁north west ▁of ▁Ö ster g arn . ▁The ▁ships ▁completed ▁their ▁mission ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁port ▁without ▁incident . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁October , ▁Hop man ▁transferred ▁his ▁flag ▁to ▁Ro on ▁and ▁ordered ▁Prin z ▁Ad al bert ▁to ▁take ▁up ▁a ▁pat rol ▁between ▁F år ö ▁and ▁D ager ort . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁ste aming ▁some ▁ 2 0 ▁miles ▁west ▁of ▁Lib au , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁her ▁pat rol ▁area , ▁in ▁company ▁with ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁destroy ers ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁intercept ed ▁by ▁the ▁sub marine ▁. ▁E 8 ▁fired ▁a ▁spread ▁of ▁tor ped o es ▁at ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 1 , 2 0 0   m ▁( 1 , 3 0 0   yd ), ▁det on ating ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁am mun ition ▁magazine . ▁The ▁massive ▁explos ion ▁destroyed ▁the ▁ship , ▁which ▁s ank ▁immediately ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁ 6 7 2 ▁crew . ▁There ▁were ▁only ▁three ▁surv iv ors . ▁The ▁s inking ▁was ▁the ▁greatest ▁single ▁loss ▁of ▁life ▁for ▁the ▁German ▁Balt ic ▁forces ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁by ▁death ▁to ll ▁of ▁ships ▁s unk ▁by ▁sub mar ines ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁Foot notes ▁ ▁Cit ations ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁ ▁Category : Pr in z ▁Ad al bert - class ▁cru is