At 02:30, Seal was spotted on the surface and attacked by two German Arado Ar 196s and another Heinkel. Lonsdale on the bridge, under fire, tried to fend them off with the Lewis guns, but these both jammed. With Seal under bombing and gunfire attack from the air,[12] unable to dive and without motive power, some men wounded and no remaining defences, Lonsdale had no alternative but to surrender.