At 01.30 hours on 2 July 1944 the unescorted Bodegraven (Master B.A. Molenaar) was hit on the port side in the engine room by a torpedo from U-547 about 200 miles south of Monrovia. The ship stopped and settled by the stern, sinking after 12 minutes. One lifeboat had been destroyed by the explosion, so the 63 crew members and 48 passengers had to abandon ship in the three remaining lifeboats. The Germans then questioned the survivors and took the master as prisoner on board.

The survivors in one lifeboat made landfall at the coast of Grand Bassa and the others were rescued by warships from Freetown. Three crewmen on watch below and six passengers were lost.