SS Rijnstroom was a freight and passenger vessel of the Hollandsche Stoombootmaatschappij, she was used for journeys to Africa. SS Rijnstroom left Downs on 2 March 1940, on her way from London to Amsterdam with general cargo. Nothing was heard of the ship since. Shortly after, a capsized lifeboat of pieces of wreckage were found near the light ship Westhinder. After the war, it turned out that the Rijnstroom had been torpedoed on 2 March, at 21:40 German time by the German submarine U-17. Commanding officer Behrens of U-17 noted in the log that he had attacked a tanker, the size of which he estimated at 8000 to 10,000 brt. In reality, the Rijnstroom weighed 700 brt. Three days later, U-17 torpedoed SS Grutto, the tonnage of which was severely overestimated as well.

The wreck of the Rijnstroom is at a maximum depth of 36 meters. Though it is a whole, it is almost unrecognisable as a ship. The bow is torn off and at starboard.The rest of the vessel is upright, but largely collapsed and sanded. The highest parts stick about 6 meters above the seabed.

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