THE U-28 SEA MONSTER

The German U-boat U-28 was patrolling the waters off the coast of County Cork, Ireland, when it encountered and torpedoed the British steamer Iberian. The incident and the strangeness that followed was detailed by Commander Freiherr George G von Forstner in his captain’s log:

“On July 30, 1915, our U-28 torpedoed the British steamer Iberian, which was carrying a rich cargo across the North Atlantic. The steamer sank so swiftly that its bow stuck up almost vertically into the air. Moments later the hull of the Iberian disappeared. The wreckage remained beneath the water for approximately twenty-five seconds, at a depth that was clearly impossible to assess, when suddenly there was a violent explosion, which shot pieces of debris - among them a gigantic aquatic animal - out of the water to a height of approximately 80-feet.”

“At that moment I had with me in the conning tower six of my officers of the watch, including the chief engineer, the navigator, and the helmsman. Simultaneously we all drew one another’s attention to this wonder of the seas, which was writhing and struggling among the debris. We were unable to identify the creature, but all of us agreed that it resembled an aquatic crocodile, which was about 60-feet long, with four limbs resembling large webbed feet, a long, pointed tail and a head which also tapered to a point. Unfortunately we were not able to take a photograph, for the animal sank out of sight after ten or fifteen seconds.”

The creature described most closely resembles both the prehistoric sea reptiles known as mososaurs,  and the Thalattosuchians, ocean-dwelling, slender-nosed crocodiles. However, both of these species become extinct at least 90 million years ago. Mososaurs could have reached the 60-foot length described by the Captain, but Thalattosuchians topped off around 35 feet.

On September 2nd, 1917, the U-28 was sunk by the British Steamer SS Olive Branch, killing most eye-witnesses to the sighting. The men who survived continued to stand behind their tale of the gigantic sea creature they catapulted into the sky above the North Atlantic, but no evidence proving their story was ever found.

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