At 10.40 hours on 30 Sep, 1939, the unescorted, unarmed and neutral Vendia was stopped by machine-gun fire from U-3 about 35 miles northwest of Hanstholm. But at 11.24 hours, the vessel suddenly tried to ram the U-boat, which managed to hit her aft by a quick fired and badly aimed torpedo. The stern immediately sank as the ship broke in two and the bow followed after an explosion at 12.05 hours. Six survivors, among them the master, were picked up by the Germans and later transferred to the Danish steam merchant Svava for repatriation.