At 07.11 hours on 21 Jan 1940 the unescorted and neutral Tekla (Master Aaga Jenson) was hit on the starboard side in front of the bridge by one torpedo from U-22 about 40 miles north-northwest of Kinnaird Head. The explosion killed four crew members, blew open both hatches and caused a heavy list to starboard that caused the ship to sink within three minutes. Ten survivors abandoned ship in the starboard lifeboat which was destroyed by the mast as the ship capsized when it sank. Five men drowned while the remaining men managed to rescue themselves onto a raft that had floated free. Four crew members abandoned ship on another raft and were picked up about two hours later by HMS Sikh (F 82) (Cdr J.A. Giffard, RN) and transferred to the Norwegian steam merchant Iris, which also picked up the other survivors and landed them all in Bergen. The body of one crew member was later washed ashore and he was buried in Wick cemetery.