SS Dettifoss

SS Dettifoss.
History
Name:	Dettifoss
Owner:	Eimskipafelag Hf.
Port of registry:	Reykjavík, Iceland
Builder:	Frederikshavns Vaerft & Flydedok A/S
Completed:	1930
Maiden voyage:	1930
In service:	1930
Out of service:	21 February 1945
Identification:	TFDA
Fate:	Torpedoed and sunk
General characteristics
Type:	Cargo Ship
Tonnage:	1,564 GRT
Length:	72.2 metres (236 ft 11 in)
Beam:	11 metres (36 ft 1 in)
Depth:	6.4 metres (21 ft 0 in)
Installed power:	Compound expansion engine
Propulsion:	Screw propeller
Speed:	10 knots
Capacity:	44 Passengers and Crew

SS Dettifoss was an Icelandic Cargo Ship that was Torpedoed by German submarine U-1064 in the Irish Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) out of Belfast, United Kingdom (55°03′N 5°29′W / 55.050°N 5.483°W / 55.050; -5.483Coordinates: 55°03′N 5°29′W / 55.050°N 5.483°W / 55.050; -5.483), while she was travelling from New York, United States to Belfast, United Kingdom and later to Reykjavík, Iceland.

Construction

Dettifoss was constructed in 1930 at the Frederikshavns Vaerft & Flydedok A/S shipyard in Frederikshavn, Denmark. She was completed in 1930 and she was named Dettifoss and served from 1930 until her demise in 1945. The ship was 72.2 metres (236 ft 11 in) long, with a beam of 11 metres (36 ft 1 in) and a depth of 6.4 metres (21 ft 0 in). The ship was assessed at 1,564 GRT. She had a Compound expansion engine driving a single screw propeller and the engine was rated at 124 nhp.

Sinking

On 21 February 1945, Dettifoss was on a voyage in Convoy UR 155 from New York, United States to Belfast, United Kingdom and later to Reykjavík, Iceland with a general cargo of 1300 tons. When she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-1064 at 08.39 hours in the Irish Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) out of Belfast. Dettifoss sank within 7 minutes resulting in the death of 12 crew members and 3 passengers. The 29 survivors (18 crew and 11 passengers) were picked up an hour after the sinking by HMS  Fusilier (T305) and were then taken to Scotland and later to Iceland. The sinking of Dettifoss was a harsh blow so soon after the loss of SS Godafoss. All public activities in Iceland were cancelled on 24 February 1945. ^[1]

Passengers And Crew

Name	Rank	Nationality	Age	Survived or Lost
Böðvarsson, Jónas	Master	Icelandic		Survived
Gíslason, Davíð	Chief Officer	Icelandic	53	Lost
Tómasson, Ólafur	Second Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Ólafsson, Eiríkur	Third Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Sigurðsson, Jóhannes	Quartermaster	Icelandic	38	Lost
Einarsson, Valdimar	First Radio Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Þorsteinsson, Bogi	Second Radio Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Jónsson, Hallgrímur	Chief Engineer Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Hafliðason, Hafliði	Second Engineer Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Magnússon, Ásgeir	Third Engineer Officer	Icelandic		Survived
Sigurjónsson, Sigurjón	Donkeyman	Icelandic		Survived
Guðmundsson, Jón	Boatswain	Icelandic	38	Lost
Ásgeirsson, Baldvin	Chief Steward	Icelandic		Survived
Bogason, Jón Sigurður Karl Kristján	Steward	Icelandic	52	Lost
Kristjánsdóttir, Nikólína	Stewardess	Icelandic		Survived
Steingrímsson, Tryggvi	Steward	Icelandic		Survived
Ágústsson, Ragnar Georg	Able Seaman	Icelandic	21	Lost
Andrésson, Gísli	Able Seaman	Icelandic	23	Lost
Ásbjörnsson, Hlöðver Oliver	Able Seaman	Icelandic	26	Lost
Bjarnason, Jón	Able Seaman	Icelandic	35	Lost
Eyjólfsson, Guðmundur	Able Seaman	Icelandic	29	Lost
Jónsson, Erlendur	Able Seaman	Icelandic		Survived
Símonarson, Kristján	Able Seaman	Icelandic		Survived
Hinriksson, Stefán	Fireman	Icelandic	46	Lost
Jakobsson, Ragnar	Fireman	Icelandic	19	Lost
Laxdal, Helgi	Fireman	Icelandic	24	Lost
Skúlason, Kolbeinn	Fireman	Icelandic		Survived
Svanbergsson, Sigurgeir	Fireman	Icelandic		Survived
Guðmundsson, Gísli	Cook	Icelandic		Survived
Líndal, Anton	Cook	Icelandic		Survived

Name	Rank	Nationality	Age	Survived or Lost
Árnason, Bjarni	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Bergin, Eugenie Hallgrímsson	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Bjarnason, Lárus	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Guðmundsson, Ragnar	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Jónsdóttir, Guðrún	Passenger	Icelandic	33	Lost
Jónsson, Davíð Sigmundur	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Kristjánsson, Erla	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Magnúsdóttir, Sigrún	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Melsted, Páll Bjarnason	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Ólafsson, Ólafur Björn	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Petersen, Skúli	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Rósantsson, Theodór Helgi	Passenger	Icelandic		Survived
Stefánsdóttir, Vilborg	Passenger	Icelandic	49	Lost
Zoega, Berta Steinunn	Passenger	Icelandic	33	Lost

Wreck

The wreck lies at (55°03′N 5°29′W / 55.050°N 5.483°W / 55.050; -5.483).

References

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1945
Shipwrecks	3 Feb: U-1279 4 Feb: USS Barbel, U-1014 5 Feb: HMS Gay Viking, Karatsu 6 Feb: Peter Silvester 9 Feb: U-864, U-923 10 Feb: Steuben 11 Feb: Persier, U-869 13 Feb: HMS Denbigh Castle, Ha-76 14 Feb: U-989 15 Feb: U-1053 16 Feb: U-309 17 Feb: HMS Bluebell, Impero, U-425, U-1273 18 Feb: U-2344 20 Feb: Nokaze, TA 48, HMS Vervain, U-1276, USS S-38 21 Feb: USS Bismarck Sea, Dettifoss 22 Feb: HMCS Trentonian, U-300 23 Feb: Conte di Cavour, Henry Bacon, La Combattante, Point Pleasant Park 24 Feb: U-713, U-927, U-1208, U-3007 27 Feb: Corvus, U-327, U-1018 28 Feb: Lautaro Unknown date: Corvus, U-676, U-683
Other incidents	9 Feb: Kommandøren 11 Feb: HMS Pathfinder 17 Feb: Conte di Cavour 18 Feb: Empire Duchess, USS Gamble, U-2336
1944 1945 1946 January 1945 March 1945