Emirau Island
During December, "Komet" and "Orion" casually met and sank in the waters surrounding Nauru Island five Allied merchant ships, with a combined tonnage of about 41,000 tons, that had been waiting off the island to load phosphate (of which "Komet" sank three). Between 6 and 7 December the "Komet" sank the merchant ships "Triona", "Vinni" and "Komata", taking more than 500 prisoners, who were landed a few days after on Emirau Island.