<p>The survivors would probably end up in Jutland or Norway, maybe Sweden due to the currents. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rOQEO.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rOQEO.png" alt="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordsee"></a>
<a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordsee" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></p>

<p>The main wind pattern is also western, but with prevailing eastern winds, they might end up in Scotland, depending on the vessel. The Jutlandic coast has experienced a large number of shipwrecks in the past. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6QYQ9.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6QYQ9.gif" alt="Wind"></a>
<a href="http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DMI</a></p>

<p>Even if a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_(shipboard)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">boat</a> gets out on the open ocean, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Stream" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gulf stream</a> flows northeast, so there are very small chances to get to Sub-Saharan Africa. </p>

<p>So the answer would be: (a), very small but depending on the survivors' ability to navigate and the wind direction. (b) None. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/2015/07/boys-who-could-see-england" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Here is a sad account of the North Sea currents</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T13:05:53.207Z
Can you provide a source for the figures?
gerrit
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T13:42:34.580Z
I'm just impressed by how the Gulf Stream becomes "Wasser aus dem Atlantik" in German.
Spencer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T13:44:16.510Z
It is Golfstrom, but the map is a popular explanation of the current pattern for the North Sea and shows were Water from the Atlantic Ocean enters. I didn't find any good CC map in English at a first look, but I believe there are some out there.
user2821
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-29T11:32:49.187Z
@Tbb thanks for taking the time and effort in answering the question, i really appreciate it. Is this related directly to your profession though, If it's not rude to ask?
strawberries
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-29T14:10:22.983Z
@strawberries Not really, I'm a seismologist, but on the research vessels, one often pick up a bit of oceanography. I've also been sailing in the area and volunteered for the Sea Rescue.
user2821
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T05:28:20.163Z
2017-04-27T13:41:45.407Z
2017-04-27T13:41:45.407Z
user2821
<p>This may or may not be as relevant to your question, and this isn't really an Earth Science answer, but there is quite a bit of historical information about people surviving sinking ships between Germany and Norway!
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/mXRBo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mXRBo.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Here is a list of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_sunk_at_the_Battle_of_Jutland" rel="nofollow noreferrer">casualties of the battle</a>. Of particular note, look at the ships that went down without being evacuated.  Of the 5069 British sailors about the five capital ships sunk in the battle, there were 17 survivors. The water temperatures (in May) were so low, that even though destroyers started picking up survivors immediately, almost no one survived. So the answer to your question could be: the survivors won't end up anywhere, since they will likely be dead. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-28T02:11:19.663Z
2017-04-28T02:11:19.663Z
kingledion
<p>a) what are the chances, taking into account influencing factors like ocean currents, that these survivors will end up on English shores?</p>

<p>b) what are the chances, again taking into account all influencing factors, that these survivors will end up anywhere near Africa's rainforest/jungle region? </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ZrJM4.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T13:04:30.943Z
Related true story: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/refugee-crisis-story-of-two-syrian-men-who-died-trying-to-swim-to-england-a6710761.html
gerrit
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T17:00:42.613Z
I have a hunch that you ask this for a reason. Which one? Read about [the X-Y problem](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem)
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-27T21:32:32.553Z
Hi strawberries, welcome to the site. You've had what looks like a good answer, but in future can I suggest asking a more general question that will also be of interest to others? For example, asking about the currents in the North Sea would probably get you a similar answer, and might be of interest to others who don't have your very specialised interest in sinking ships :-)
Semidiurnal Simon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-29T11:25:43.817Z
@Jan Doggen it's just the result of obsessing over the validity of a plot twist in a story and having internet access. I did some research on my own and came to the same conclusion as Tbb and others have... except without all the nice technical stuff. Now I have better facts to back my argument.
strawberries
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-29T11:27:16.153Z
@Simon W II see, will keep that in my mind. But you know I think more people wonder about the same question than you might think.
strawberries
<ocean><ocean-currents>
If a ship on its way to Germany from Norway sank, where will the survivors likely end up?
strawberries
# If a ship on its way to Germany from Norway sank, where will the survivors likely end up?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-04-27)

a) what are the chances, taking into account influencing factors like ocean currents, that these survivors will end up on English shores?

b) what are the chances, again taking into account all influencing factors, that these survivors will end up anywhere near Africa's rainforest/jungle region?

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ZrJM4.jpg)

**Tags:** ocean, ocean-currents

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related true story: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/refugee-crisis-story-of-two-syrian-men-who-died-trying-to-swim-to-england-a6710761.html  
> **username_2**: I have a hunch that you ask this for a reason. Which one? Read about [the X-Y problem](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem)  
> **username_3**: Hi username_0, welcome to the site. You've had what looks like a good answer, but in future can I suggest asking a more general question that will also be of interest to others? For example, asking about the currents in the North Sea would probably get you a similar answer, and might be of interest to others who don't have your very specialised interest in sinking ships :-)  
> **username_0**: @username_2 it's just the result of obsessing over the validity of a plot twist in a story and having internet access. I did some research on my own and came to the same conclusion as Tbb and others have... except without all the nice technical stuff. Now I have better facts to back my argument.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 W II see, will keep that in my mind. But you know I think more people wonder about the same question than you might think.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-04-27. Score: 6

The survivors would probably end up in Jutland or Norway, maybe Sweden due to the currents.

[![https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordsee](https://i.sstatic.net/rOQEO.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/rOQEO.png)
[CC BY-SA 3.0](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordsee)

The main wind pattern is also western, but with prevailing eastern winds, they might end up in Scotland, depending on the vessel. The Jutlandic coast has experienced a large number of shipwrecks in the past.

[![Wind](https://i.sstatic.net/6QYQ9.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/6QYQ9.gif)
[DMI](http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/)

Even if a [boat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_(shipboard)) gets out on the open ocean, the [Gulf stream](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Stream) flows northeast, so there are very small chances to get to Sub-Saharan Africa.

So the answer would be: (a), very small but depending on the survivors' ability to navigate and the wind direction. (b) None.

[Here is a sad account of the North Sea currents](http://www.newstatesman.com/2015/07/boys-who-could-see-england)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you provide a source for the figures?  
> **username_5**: I'm just impressed by how the Gulf Stream becomes "Wasser aus dem Atlantik" in German.  
> **username_4**: It is Golfstrom, but the map is a popular explanation of the current pattern for the North Sea and shows were Water from the Atlantic Ocean enters. I didn't find any good CC map in English at a first look, but I believe there are some out there.  
> **username_0**: @Tbb thanks for taking the time and effort in answering the question, i really appreciate it. Is this related directly to your profession though, If it's not rude to ask?  
> **username_4**: @username_0 Not really, I'm a seismologist, but on the research vessels, one often pick up a bit of oceanography. I've also been sailing in the area and volunteered for the Sea Rescue.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2017-04-28. Score: 3

This may or may not be as relevant to your question, and this isn't really an Earth Science answer, but there is quite a bit of historical information about people surviving sinking ships between Germany and Norway!
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/mXRBo.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/mXRBo.png)

Here is a list of the [casualties of the battle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_sunk_at_the_Battle_of_Jutland). Of particular note, look at the ships that went down without being evacuated. Of the 5069 British sailors about the five capital ships sunk in the battle, there were 17 survivors. The water temperatures (in May) were so low, that even though destroyers started picking up survivors immediately, almost no one survived. So the answer to your question could be: the survivors won't end up anywhere, since they will likely be dead.


---

