Submarine · 1944–1946 · Donegal, Ireland
U-2511
She nearly changed the course of the war. U-2511 was the only operationally deployed Type XXI "Elektroboot" submarine in World War II -- the revolutionary design that could have devastated Allied shipping had it entered service earlier. Commanded by Korvettenkapitan Adalbert Schnee, she made one war patrol and had a British cruiser group in her sights before the ceasefire aborted the attack.
Surrendered at Bergen, Norway, she was scuttled by Royal Navy gunfire on 7 January 1946 during Operation Deadlight after her towing cable parted. Discovered in 1999 by local diver Al Wright, the wreck at 67-69 metres off Malin Head is largely intact on her port side, with a large blast hole on the starboard side near the conning tower. One of the most historically significant U-boat wrecks anywhere.
Featured on BBC Dig WW2 with Dan Snow.
- Type
- SubmarineGerman
- Year built
- 1944Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
- Lost
- January 7th, 1946Scuttled
- Casualties
- 0World War II / Operation Deadlight
- Length
- 77 m
- Depth
- 67–69 m
- Location
- Donegal, IrelandInner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland
1 of 7 facts above is cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 168 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost January 7th, 1946 · Scuttled · World War II / Operation Deadlight · Donegal, Ireland.
The only operationally deployed Type XXI U-boat in WWII. Commanded by Korvettenkapitan Adalbert Schnee. Made one war patrol and nearly attacked a British cruiser group but aborted due to ceasefire. Surrendered at Bergen, Norway, then towed to Ireland for scuttling as part of Operation Deadlight.
Sunk by Royal Navy gunfire at 7:40 PM after her towing cable parted.
Built 1944 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg; 2 years in service. Lost January 7th, 1946, scuttled during World War II / Operation Deadlight.
Condition of the WreckLargely intact, in 67–69 m.
Intactness
She lies on her port side and remains largely intact, though shellfire has torn a large hole in her starboard side close to the conning tower. Al Wright, a local diver, found her in 1999.
Notable Features
- Only operationally deployed Type XXI U-boat in WWII
- Largely intact on port side
- Blast hole on starboard from Royal Navy shellfire
- Featured on BBC Dig WW2 with Dan Snow
Additional Details13 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- German
- Flag
- Germany
- Builder
- Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
- Propulsion
- Diesel-electric
- Loss date
- January 7th, 1946
- Conflict / event
- World War II / Operation Deadlight
- Latitude
- 55.55° N
- Longitude
- 7.63° W
- Water body
- Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Largely intact
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Geological Survey Ireland / Marine Institute (INFOMAR)gsi.geodata.gov.ie · Official record3 facts
- uboat.netuboat.net · Secondary source1 fact
- Wrecked in my rEvowreckedinmyrevo.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading1 fact
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- INFOMAR Shipwrecks © Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
A further 3 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the U-2511?
U-2511 is the wreck of a submarine, off Donegal, Ireland, at 69 metres. U-2511 was scuttled in 1946.
How deep is the U-2511?
U-2511 lies at 67 to 69 metres, Off Malin Head, scuttled during Operation Deadlight.
How did the U-2511 sink?
U-2511 was scuttled on January 7th, 1946 during World War II / Operation Deadlight, off Donegal, Ireland. No lives were lost.