World War IIMS Besholt
MV Besholt was on a journey from Lobito via Trinidad to New York with a cargo consisting of copper, tin and palm oil. On the 2nd of December 1942 the ship was torpedoed by the German uboat U-174 in position 0320N, 3020W. The lifeboats at the portside amidships were blown to smithereens, and the motorboat at the aft were riddled with holes, but stayed afloat on the air tanks. Five men managed to board the motorboat. The fifth man was supposedly taken by the sharks swimming around the ship. One man was taken by the undertow but managed to get up to the surface again and were taken aboard in a lifeboat. On the 11th December, reached one of the lifeboats land close by Camocim on the shores of Brazil, the other lifeboat reached Canaris Bar close by Parnaiba, Brazil on the 14th of December after a journey which spanned over 800 nautical miles. 14 norwegians, one estonian, one swedish and two american passengers perished while 28 of both the crew and passengers survived the sinking.
About MS Besholt
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Nationality
Norway
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Built
1936
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Wrecked
02.12.1942
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Carrier
S. Holter-Sørensen, Oslo
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Tonnage
9000 dvt
