Altair
Norwegian Steam merchant
Name | Altair | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 1,522 tons | ||
Completed | 1923 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough | ||
Owner | Henrik Østervold, Bergen | ||
Homeport | Bergen | ||
Date of attack | 18 Jun 1940 | Nationality: Norwegian | |
Fate | Sunk by U-32 (Hans Jenisch) | ||
Position | 49° 39'N, 11° 15'W - Grid BF 1432 | ||
Complement | 18 (0 dead and 18 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Digby, Nova Scotia - Halifax (5 Jun) - Weymouth - Kings Lynn | ||
Cargo | 728 standards of lumber | ||
History | Completed in May 1923 as British Atherton for H. Harrison Shipping Ltd, London. 1935 sold to Norway and renamed Altair for D/S A/S Altair (H. Østervold), Bergen. | ||
Notes on event | At 17.50 hours on 18 June 1940, U-32 tried to stop the unescorted and unarmed Altair (Master Johannes Pedersen) with a shot across her bow south of Ireland, after one torpedo had missed at 17.22 hours. She did not stop and was then shelled by the U-boat until the crew began to abandon ship in two lifeboats. At 19.02 hours, the ship was hit amidships by a coup de grâce and settled with a heavy list, but remained afloat on her cargo of lumber. The wreck was scuttled by HMS Cape Howe (X 02) (A/Cdr E.L. Woodhall, DSO, MVO, RN) in 49°36N/11°22W on 20 June. At 19.12 hours, U-32 had sighted the two Spanish trawlers Sálvora and Nuevo Ons and sank them because they were outside of the allowed area of fishing. The survivors were rescued by the lifeboats of the Altair. They were picked up later that same night by the Spanish trawler Iparreko-Izarra, which also located an empty lifeboat of Balmoralwood. The men were later transferred to the Spanish trawler Piedi and landed at Pasajes, Spain on 21 June. | ||
More info | |||
On board | We have details of 18 people who were on board. |
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.