The legendary journey of Andrias began on October 20, 1943, when it was ordered to set sail from Alexandria, accompanied by three British destroyers, heading toward Leros. The mission was to reinforce the Allies and mislead the German vessels patrolling the area.

On October 22, 1943, at 9:45 p.m., Andrias struck a German mine off the coast of Kalymnos. The violent explosion destroyed a third of the ship, with the entire bow up to the bridge obliterated. Thirty of the vessel’s 85 meters were completely lost. Miraculously, however, the boiler rooms remained intact.

The captain of the British destroyer Hurworth suggested to Andrias’s captain, Ioannis Tountas, to scuttle the ship and save his men. The Greek captain resolutely replied that under no circumstances would Andrias be sunk. Almost immediately, Hurworth struck a mine as well and sank with all hands.

Despite severe damage, a malfunctioning rudder, and enemy-infested waters under cover of night, Andrias managed to reach the coast of Asia Minor, docking at ancient Myndos (modern-day Gümüşlük), a small fishing village inhabited by Turkish Cretans who still spoke Greek from the 1923 population exchange.

The ship lost 21 men, with 30 more wounded. On December 1, after makeshift repairs that included sealing the bow with a concrete wall, Andrias set sail for Alexandria, disregarding Allied advice against such a perilous journey. The courage shown by the captain and crew was remarkable, and they were fortunate to have Chief Engineer Konstantinos Arapis, who had trained as a naval architect, aboard.

The ship traveled an astonishing 730 miles across German-controlled Aegean waters and arrived triumphantly in Alexandria. On December 6, the Feast of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of the Navy, Andrias was met with such celebration from Allied crews that the people of Alexandria thought the war had ended in an Allied victory. This achievement of Andrias remains unparalleled in the history of the Greek Navy. In 1945, the ship was returned to England and eventually sold for scrap.

The U.S. Pentagon published pamphlets recounting the Greek ship’s story as a shining example of resilience and bravery. Alone on the dark sea, without navigation tools or charts, with a barely functional rudder, and with wounded and fallen crew members, Andrias and its people prevailed against all odds.