World War IIMS Jamaica
MS Jamaica lå 7. mars 1943 for vestgående på uavhengig kurs med 15 knops fart i posisjon 52N og 27W i ballast. Samme dag ble skipet torpedert av den tyske ubåten U-221. Skipet brakk i to og sank i løpet av to minutter. 17 overlevende fikk satt ut fire livbåter. Motorbåten ble tatt av dragsuget og fløt opp med bunnen i været. Livbåtene var også skadet. Ubåten kom opp like foran en av livbåtene med sju mann. Ubåtsjefen spurte etter skipets navn og fikk det, hvoretter han kjørte forover og inn i siden på livbåten. De fleste om bord klamret seg til vrakrestene, mens 3. maskinisten hoppet i sjøen og ble tatt opp av ubåten. Der tømte de redningsvesten hans og hev ham på sjøen igjen. Etterpå kjørte ubåten rundt blant folk som lå og svømte i sjøen. Det ble stille etter hvert, og i en rapport fra en av skytterne heter det at de var sikre på at enkelte ble kjørt ned. 13 mann i motorbåten ble tatt opp 18. mars av HMS Barrage. Tre hardt sårede ble overført til en korvett og ført i høy fart til Gibraltar. De øvrige ble landsatt i Plymouth 26. mars. De fire i giggen kom inn til Isle of Barra den 29. mars. 22 mann omkom i forliset.
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 submarine drove 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
