Ships hit by U-boats


Corona

Norwegian Steam merchant


We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.


NameCorona
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,264 tons
Completed1920 - Smith´s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank, Middlesbrough 
OwnerH.M. Wrangell & Co A/S, Haugesund 
HomeportHaugesund 
Date of attack5 Feb 1943Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-617 (Albrecht Brandi)
Position32° 11'N, 24° 46'E - Grid CO 6774
Complement103 (0 dead and 103 survivors).
ConvoyAW-22
RouteAlexandria (3 Feb) - Benghazi 
Cargo3700 tons of war material and ammunition 
History In Admiralty Service 
Notes on event

On 5 Feb 1943, U-617 shadowed convoy AW-22, consisting of four steamers and four escorts from grid CO92 to CO67. At 08.02 hours, the U-boat torpedoed and sank the Henrik and Corona.

The Corona (Master Einar Endresen) was hit by one torpedo and 15 minutes later by another on the starboard side. The foc´sle deck line split to keel and from keel to about 15 feet from deckline port side. The collision bulkhead was fractured and foc´sle deck dropped 12 inchs from aft side windlass to stem. All seven Norwegian officers, 40 Chinese crewmen, the Egyptian messboy, six British gunners and 49 army personnel as passengers abandoned ship. The master, 10 crewmen and 11 passengers were picked up by the British motor launch HMS ML-1012. The master, the 2nd mate and three crewmen returned to the lifeboat with the intention of returning to the ship, but on the way back he came across the British motor launch HMS ML-356 and being uncertain of the condition of the ship they decided to board the motor launch. HMS Erica (K 50) (Lt A.C.C. Seligman, RNR) put a boarding party on the Corona, including one Indian stoker from Henrik and later took the survivors on board and brought them to Tobruk.
The next day, the Corona was taken in tow to Tobruk and beached. In the afternoon on 24 February, she sank during a storm.

On 17 Oct 1947, the wreck of Corona was refloated and was taken in tow by the tug Lenamill, but sank two days later 20 miles north of Derna.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 7 people who were on board


If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.

Return to Allied Ships hit by U-boats