Suddenly there was a series of ear-splitting explosions, as "Fame" dropped a pattern of 10 depth charges. The lights in "U-353" went out and water entered forward and aft through the hydrophone shafts. The electric motors stopped working, all but one of the depth gauges broke, and the aft hydroplanes were put out of action. "U-353" went deeper, almost out of control as water poured in through the stern torpedo tube causing her to lose trim. The U-boat blew her tanks and surfaced, and the captain ordered the crew to prepare to abandon ship.