On 24 December 1941, K XVI torpedoed and sank the Sagiri; the first Allied submarine to sink a Japanese warship.

[1] On 24 December 1941, approximately 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) off Kuching at 02°30′N 109°50′E / 2.500°N 109.833°E / 2.500; 109.833, the submarine torpedoed and sank the Sagiri.

[2][3][4] The destroyer's aft magazine caught fire and exploded, sinking the ship with 121 of the 241 personnel aboard killed.

[3][4] Later that evening, the submarine attempted to attack the destroyer Murakumo, but was fended off by depth charges.

[2] On 25 October 2011, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced that the wreck of K XVI had been found by Australian and Singaporean recreational divers off the northern coast of Borneo.