Enjoying the improving Arctic weather, "U-703" had an unsuccessful patrol in terms of victims, but the boat began to work better as a team, and the second patrol in May reaped dividends, with the sinking of the 6,000 ton American freighter SS "Syros". This ship sank with eleven lives after a torpedo touched off her ammunition. The same patrol scored greater success during the disastrous end to Convoy PQ 17 on the 5 May, when she managed to sink two lone cargo ships, one of them damaged by long range German bombers beforehand. Returning to port at Narvik, "U-703" was cheered by her victory, but she struggled to make further impressions during the year, as her two further patrols yielded only one victim, the British destroyer , which was fatally crippled by a torpedo near Convoy PQ 18 in September.