World War IIMS Jamaica
MV Jamaica was on the 7th of March 1943 on an independent westwards course at a speed of 15 knots in position 52N, 27W in ballast. The vessel was torpedoed by the German uboat U-221 the same day. The ship broke in half and sank in under two minutes, the 17 survivors managed to lower down four lifeboats into the water. The motor boat was dragged down along with the ship in the undertow but floated up capsized. The lifeboats were also damaged. The uboat reemerged in front of one of the lifeboats and asked for the vessel’s name. The passengers of the lifeboat gave the name of the boat and the uboat answered by ramming the lifeboat. Most of the people onboard now clamped to debris to stay afloat, but the 3rd machinist dove into the sea and was taken in by the uboat. There they emptied his life jacket and threw him into the sea again. After this the U-boatdrove around the people swimming in the water in circles. All that one could hear after a while was silence, and in a rapport from one of the gunners it was stated that they were that the uboat ran over some of the people swimming in the sea. The 13 survivors in the motor boat were on the 18th of march rescued by HMS Barrage. Three critically wounded were transferred to a corvette and was brought as fast as possible to Gibraltar, while the others were brought to Plymouth on the 26th of March. The four men in the jig reached the Isle of Barra on the 29th of March. 21 men perished in the sinking.
About MS Jamaica
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Nationality
Norway
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Built
1936
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Wrecked
07.03.1943
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Carrier
Anders Jahre, Sandefjord
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Tonnage
3015 dvt
