MADRID, German steaming passenger ship; built 1922 by Vulcan, Stettin as SIERRA NEVADA for Norddeutscher Lloyd. Renamed Madrid in 1937. 8.000 tons; 134x17303x11,5m; 2 triple expansion engines; Twin screws; 4.400hp; 13knots; 221 1st class, 209 3rd class and 302 steerage passengers; 86 crew. Hamburg-South America services, later requisitioned by Germany and used as target ship and tender for submarines. On 9th December 1941, she was attacked by British aircraft (3 Beauforts from 217 Squadron RAF, 1 plane was shot down the AW190 MW-K) and sunk near Den Helder, The Netherlands. 12 soldiers were killed including the Commanding Officer.

Then it stranded on the Keizersbult. This is an infamous sandbank off the coast of Den Helder, where many ships found their downfall. The wreck lies on its keel and is already disintegrating. Yet there are still plenty familiar elements to see such as walls, steam engines and boilers.