At 21.31 hours on 3 Apr, 1942, the West Irmo (Master Torleif C. Selness) was hit on the port side by one torpedo from U-505 about 300 miles southwest of Takoradi. The ship was not zigzagging as ordered by her escort HMS Copinsay (T 147), which was about two miles off the starboard quarter. The torpedo struck the forward part of #1 hold, blew the bow off, opened a hole 20 by 18 feet near #2 hold and killed ten African stevedores, who were sitting on #1 hatch. The nine officers, 27 crewmen, eight armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in and four .30cal guns) and the 55 surviving African stevedores abandoned ship in four lifeboats after 30 minutes and were picked up by the escort until 23.30 hours. Next day, the M/S trawler took the West Irmo in tow stern first but stopped as her rudder and propeller came out of the water because she settled by the bow and dropped a depth charge to hasten the sinking at 21.10 hours in 02°17N/05°25W.

The master Torleif C. Selness later commanded two other vessels that were attacked by U-boats, the West Humhaw and George Ade.