New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Tougias will present a slide show about the sinking of The Laconia on June 11 at the Nashua Historical Society. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – When a ship the size of the Titanic, the Laconia, was sunk by a German U-boat in September 1942, some of its nearly 3,000 British passengers and Italian prisoners of war were rescued by the same U-boat that sank their ship.

Highly unusual, but the story becomes more bizarre. The survivors thought their ordeal of floating in shark infested ocean was over…until an American plane unleashed its bombs.

On June 11, New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Tougias will offer an edge-of-your-seat slide presentation about this incident–perhaps the most unusual in all of World War II. The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. at the Nashua Historical Society, 5 Abbott St.

Tougias’ new book with Little Brown, Abandon Ship, tells the full story. The incident offers a real moral conundrum: do you intentionally harm your own citizens for the bigger picture of winning the war? It’s a topical story with what’s going on in the world today.

The event was covered-up by authorities but Tougias shares the complete account including the incredible survival story of four British citizens who survived seven weeks adrift at sea with only two tablespoons of water per day and little food.

Tougias is the author and co-author of 30 books for adults and eight books for young readers, including The Finest Hours, now a Disney movie starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck and Holiday Granger.