 HNLMS K XVI in the Dutch East Indies, circa 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Netherlands | |
| Name | HNLMS K XVI |
| Ordered | 30 May 1929 |
| Awarded | 31 May 1930 |
| Builder | Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij |
| Laid down | 8 April 1933 |
| Commissioned | 31 January 1934 |
| Fate | Sunk on 25 December 1941 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | K XIV-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 73.64 m (241 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Complement | 38 |
| Armament |
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HNLMS K XVI was one of five K XIV-class submarines built for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). Entering service in 1934, the submarine was deployed to the Netherlands East Indies. On 24 December 1941, K XVI torpedoed and sank the Sagiri; the first Allied submarine to sink a Japanese warship. A day later, the Dutch submarine was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-66 (later renumbered to be I-166) off Borneo, with all aboard killed. The wreck of K XVI was rediscovered in October 2011 by a group of recreational divers and has since been illegally salvaged.
K XVI was ordered from Rotterdam-based shipbuilder Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij on 30 May 1929, and was laid down on 31 May 1930.[1] The submarine was launched on 8 April 1933, and commissioned into the RNN on 31 January 1934.[1]
In January 1935, the boat was deployed to the Netherlands East Indies.[1] She remained in this area after the start of World War II.[1]
On 24 December 1941, approximately 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) off Kuching at 02°30′N 109°50′E / 2.500°N 109.833°E / 2.500; 109.833, the submarine torpedoed and sank the Sagiri.[2][3][4] The destroyer's aft magazine caught fire and exploded, sinking the ship with 121 of the 241 personnel aboard killed.[3][4] Later that evening, the submarine attempted to attack the destroyer Murakumo, but was fended off by depth charges.[1]
K XVI was torpedoed by the I-66 a day later, and sank with all 36 aboard.[1][2] The boat was one of seven Dutch submarines lost during World War II.[2]
On 25 October 2011, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced that the wreck of K XVI had been found by Australian and Singaporean recreational divers off the northern coast of Borneo.[2] In July 2024 it was reported that the wreck of K XVI had been illegally salvaged.[5]
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