Ships hit by U-boats


Sarita

Norwegian Steam tanker



Sarita under her former name Melania. Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales

NameSarita
Type:Steam tanker
Tonnage5,824 tons
Completed1914 - Craig, Taylor & Co Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees 
OwnerJohan M. Ugland, Grimstad 
HomeportGrimstad 
Date of attack14 Jul 1940Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by UA (Hans Cohausz)
Position15° 22'N, 26° 28'W - Grid EJ 1888
Complement29 (0 dead and 29 survivors).
Convoy
RouteSt. Vincent (13 Jul) - Trinidad 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in May 1914 as British Melania for Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London. 1930 sold to Norway and renamed Sarita
Notes on event

At 11.45 hours on 14 July 1940 the unescorted Sarita (Master Carsten Grøm) was hit on the port side in the #7 tank by one stern torpedo from UA and was abandoned by the crew in one lifeboat and two rafts. After one hour, the U-boat surfaced and fired 34 rounds from the deck gun at the tanker of which 11 were hits. The ship developed a list to port and did not sink because the empty starboard tanks kept her afloat, but the U-boat fired with the 2cm AA gun holes into the hull and she sank at 13.38 hours. The Germans then came alongside of the lifeboat and took the master on board with the ship´s papers. He was allowed to go back to the boat and after they took care of two injured men the U-boat left the area. The survivors distributed themselves on the rafts, but on 16 July after three ships had passed by without spotting them, all returned to the lifeboat and set sail for Barbados. They were picked up two days later by the British steam merchant Dunstan in 15°31N/30°04W and taken to Pernambuco.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 29 people who were on board


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