Agra
Swedish Motor merchant
Name | Agra | ||
Type: | Motor merchant | ||
Tonnage | 4,569 tons | ||
Completed | 1925 - A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg | ||
Owner | A/B Svenska Ostasiatiska Kompaniet, Gothenburg | ||
Homeport | Gothenburg | ||
Date of attack | 20 Apr 1942 | Nationality: Swedish | |
Fate | Sunk by U-654 (Ludwig Forster) | ||
Position | 34° 40'N, 69° 35'W - Grid CA 9892 | ||
Complement | 39 (6 dead and 33 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Philadelphia - Capetown - Port Sudan - Suez - Alexandria | ||
Cargo | 6666 tons of general cargo, including nitrate, motor trucks and fuel in drums | ||
History | Completed in June 1925 | ||
Notes on event | At 23.23 hours on 20 April 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Agra (Master Sture Selander) was hit by two torpedoes from U-654 and sank on an even keel about 280 miles northwest of Bermuda. This was observed by U-136 (Zimmermann) while approaching for a second attack after chasing the ship for about 11 hours and missing her with a spread of three torpedoes at 16.04 hours. Since 20.45 hours, the ship had also been chased by U-572 (Hirsacker) which shortly thereafter met U-654 and asked her to evade to the east after informing them about the chase. As asked Forster moved out of the way, but the Agra changed her course directly towards him and the other U-boats could only witness her sinking. The master and five crew members were lost. As one lifeboat had been destroyed, all survivors had to abandon ship in the second boat and were questioned by U-654. The 26 crew members and seven passengers were picked up after 16 hours by the Norwegian motor merchant Tercero and landed at Bermuda on 22 April. The chief officer and chief engineer were flown to New York by a Clipper flying boat on 28 April. | ||
On board | We have details of 13 people who were on board. |
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