The Drama in the North Atlantic 1939

The storm increased, and the ships were gradually lying on the weather. The "Saltdalingen" was the first to notice it. Suddenly a terrible break of a large sea came crashing in over the ship, smashing the wheelhouse wall to pieces, battering the cutlery and rolling like a living pile of stones over the deck of the boat. For an eternity the ship lay beneath shaking and trembling. Another break came, and yet another. They had not sunk, but the ship looked terrible.

Shortly after, it was the turn of the "Nyken"; The breach that came was such that no ship should have survived it. They stood on the bridge and followed it, and could do nothing. It gathered sea in itself, grew into a large mountain that rose and rose and fell over the ship like a fist. From the "Saltdalingen" they did not see the "Nyken" again in the violent sea. After a while they heard a message on the radio. "Nyken" called "Isfjell". 

The message that came was short but unmistakable; The engine room is filled with sea, we are lying heavy with the stern of the ship, we need assistance.

"Isfjell" had fallen astern, but had also been cleared of the wreck. The three Brandal ships were even further away. They had also had a taste of the storm. "Arktos" which was coal-fired had particular problems. On "Polarbjørn" telegrapher With had received the message from "Nyken" and from the short message from the other two he understood that the three ships were in distress at sea. He immediately sent an SOS message to Reykjavik radio which shortly afterwards relayed it at full strength.

Seven boats were in the area and responded to the distress call. The closest of these was the Swedish Amerikalinja's "Drottningholm". The boat deck of the "Drottningholm" was 17 meters above the waterline. The sea broke there, breaking several davits and crushing a lifeboat. The "Nyken" reports that they have managed to empty the engine room with pumps and bags, they have damage to the stern, but believe they will be able to stay afloat until the "Drottningholm" arrives.

But then, another breach came and "Nyken" sent out the message; "Hello Isfjell and "Drottningholm", if you hear me, answer immediately!" From "Polarbjørn" and "Arktos" they hear that the "Nyken" people are thankful for everything. "If the people of "Saltdalingen" are saved, then ask them to say hello home. If there is anyone who can help us, you must come now". Those who had heard the distressed message tried to call them up again, but this was the last sign of life from "Nyken" and its crew.

The situation for the "Saltdalingen" and the "Isfjell" had become serious at the same time, and requests for help came almost simultaneously from both. Approximately the same message was conveyed via the "Polarbjørn" to the "Drottningholm" from both: We have major damage to the hull, and ask to be taken on board as soon as possible. But by all means look for the "Nyken" first. "Drottningholm" cruised all night looking for the "Nyken", but eventually had to write off the "Nyken" as lost, and began searching for the "Isfjell".

 "Polarbjørn" and "Polaris" had their own problems, but also tried to reach the casualties. "Polarbjørn" had had the lines turned in on both sides, the rigging was starting to wear loose. People were working on deck to salvage the stumps so that the masts would not go overboard. "Polaris" had done well, despite leaks.

The water was above the cabin floor but no worse than splashing up into the berths only at the worst rolling… – but then they had a break. The break rose behind the “Polaris” and threw the ship on its end with the bow down into the bilge. For a while they only saw the tops of the masts of the ship before it slowly came up again and threw the sea off. They had not had contact with the “Arktos” for a while. Later, the “Arktos” could tell that a large sea had crashed down through the ship’s chimney and extinguished the boiler!

"Polar Bear" and "Polaris" agreed to try to go down to "Salt Valley". They thought the weather was about to turn bad. Earlier they had seen the sea crashing over the mast tops, now it wasn't so bad.

The operation with fishing boats is something incredible. But this is what the two skippers had agreed to try. The fishing boats were 18-19 feet. Not strange boats in the great sea. The people on the "Saltdalingen", which now looked like a wreck, had been told to stay ready. They now saw the "Polar Bear" coming. - "They are crazy" was the comment from the bridge on the wreck. According to normal assessment, it was not possible to row a boat in this weather. But there were people on a sinking ship out there….

The first boat from the "Polar Bear" was smashed against the side of the ship as it was being launched. The three in the boat jumped back on board and prepared the next boat. The second boat was fine. The boat from the "Polaris" also made it safely to the sea. It was dark, and even darker in the small boats when you got into the sea.

It was a violent journey for the two boats. They made it to the wreck, rounded the stern and got over to the lee side. The stern gaped wide open, the davits lay flat and empty, the boat deck and wheelhouse looked like a pulled-down wooden box. For a moment they saw the wreck from below, for a moment from above. They thought it was the end when they saw the red bottom of the ship on both sides of the keel. The operation took about an hour. They took 3-4 men in the boat and after three trips each, all 18 men from the "Saltdalingen" were rescued. "Polarbjørn" and "Polaris" immediately started searching for "Isfjell".

"Drottningholm" also crossed to look for them. It was "Drottningholm" that found "Isfjell". The lifeboats from "Drottningholm" were somewhat larger or from the two ships, and were manned by nine men. They said it was like riding an elevator. For a moment they were down by the swinging keel, in the next blink of an eye up by the boat deck. The first attempt was unsuccessful. They decided to try something else. They let the boat out in line behind "Drottningholm" and down towards "Isfjell". There they stood ready to jump into the boat as soon as he came alongside. This operation was carried out twice, and the entire crew from "Isfjell" was rescued on board "Drottningholm".

18 men missing

They never saw the "Nyken" again. 18 men were missing. They were unable to ride out the storm until help arrived.