World War IIDS Barøy
The Norwegian DS Barøy operated on the Trondheim–Narvik route. On 12 September 1941, the vessel was attacked by Allied aircraft and sunk by an aerial torpedo off Tranøylandet, near Bremneset. At the time, Barøy was sailing with full signal markings and deck lights switched on at the bow due to ongoing work with deck cargo. The ship had 105 passengers on board—68 of them Norwegian, the remainder German.
The vessel sank rapidly, and everyone on board was forced to jump into the sea, as it was impossible to launch the lifeboats. The passenger vessel Skjerstad came upon the scene and realized they were sailing among people crying for help in the water. Skjerstad stopped and managed to rescue 19 survivors and recover 15 bodies. The water temperature was between 7 and 8 degrees Celsius. Skjerstad sounded the ship’s siren to call for further assistance.
Of the crew, which consisted of 21 men and five women, 18 were lost. Among the passengers, 59 perished, including 21 women and seven children. Only two German soldiers survived the sinking.
About DS Barøy
-
Nationality
Norway
-
Built
1929
-
Wrecked
12.09.1941
-
Carrier
Ofotens Dampskipsselskap A/S, Narvik
-
Tonnage
424 brt
