MT Koll

World War IIMT Koll

The MT Koll was en route to join a convoy in Halifax when it was torpedoed on 6 April 1942 by the German U-boat U-571 at position 35°01’N and 68°48’W, just east of Cape Hatteras. Koll exploded and sank, with burning gasoline spilling over the sea, causing a tremendous smoke and heat buildup. First Engineer Einar Gulbrandsen and motorman Johannes Kjøne perished in the explosion. On the same day, not far away, the company’s Kollskegg was also torpedoed. Five lifeboats from the two ships of the same company, with nearly 80 men in total, drifted on the sea east of Hatteras. One of the boats was spotted the same day and rescued. On 7 April, a gale blew up, and the lines between the lifeboats broke. Eleven men from Koll lost contact with the others. Four days later, they were picked up by a Portuguese ship and landed in Lisbon on 25 April. The two other lifeboats from Koll encountered changing weather, from calm to storm. All the survivors suffered from cold and leg pain. On 14 April, steward Sigurd Askeland died. On 15 April, one of the boats was rescued by a Swiss ship and taken to New York. On 16 April, the people in the other boat were picked up by a Portuguese ship and landed in Philadelphia. Six people perished in the sinking.

About MT Koll

  • Nationality

    Flag Norway

  • Built

    1930

  • Wrecked

    06.04.1942

  • Carrier

    Odd Berg, Oslo

  • Tonnage

    15080 dvt

Casualties