Ship sunk by infamous Nazi sub in 1944 found off coast of Maine

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According to reporting by CBS News US National, The U-boat that landed two Nazi spies on the Maine coast sank the 400-foot steamship SS Cornwallis four days later.

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A German submarine slipped through frigid New England waters and covertly dropped off two Nazi spies in Maine on Nov. 29, 1944. Their assignment was to gather intelligence in the United States at the height of World War II.

Just four days later, the same U-boat spotted a merchant ship in the area and fired a torpedo that struck its cargo hold. The vessel, a 400-foot Canadian steamship called SS Cornwallis, sank in just 10 minutes. Only five of the 48 people on board survived.

Now, more than 80 years later, the wreckage of the Cornwallis has been found. After numerous expeditions over the years, the wreckage was located in July nearly 400 feet below the ocean's surface, the Nomad Exploration Team announced this week .

The New Hampshire-based team said it had to contend with cold water, strong currents and remote locations to reach the massive vessel. Finally, side scan sonar revealed the wreck, and later dives confirmed the vessel's identity, the team said.

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Information in this article was compiled directly from records provided by CBS News US National. Access the primary source document at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ss-cornwallis-sunk-nazi-sub-found-maine/. Reporting and editorial review conducted by the USA NOW News Desk.