The submarine immediately opened fire without warning on "Ebb" with her anti-aircraft guns. The ship stopped and made signals that they had surrendered, but the gunfire continued, one gun sweeping through the crowd of crew members attempting to launch the ship's life raft, although no evidence can be provided that the submarine intentionally targeted the men. Five of the seventeen crew were killed and seven more seriously wounded, before "Ebb" sank after taking over fifty hits. The survivors were discovered and rescued by the W-class destroyer fourteen hours later.