At 21.59 hours on 2 Nov, 1942, the unescorted Aegeus was hit by two torpedoes from U-177 and blew up in a heavy explosion off Cape Columbine. The U-boat had to dive to avoid falling debris, but one crewman was slightly wounded when entering the conning tower. The ship had been spotted at 05.34 hours and was attacked with a torpedo at 10.22 and 10.26 hours, which both passed underneath the vessel because the firing distance was too short.