The MS Sama was a Norwegian motor merchant vessel constructed in 1936-1937, notable for its service during World War II and its tragic sinking. Built by Lindholmens in Gothenburg, Sweden, she was launched on December 19, 1936, and completed in April 1937. The ship had a gross register tonnage of 1,799 and a deadweight tonnage of approximately 2,200 tons. Designed for commercial cargo operations, Sama was operated by the Oslo-based Norwegian shipping company Chr. Gundersen & Co. During her service, Sama played a key humanitarian role when she rescued 234 survivors from the British troopship Staffordshire, which had been badly damaged. This rescue occurred on March 29, 1941, with Sama arriving at Stornoway in the Hebrides Islands, demonstrating her capacity for emergency response during wartime. Her final voyage began on February 15, 1942, when she departed Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of the trade convoy ON 67. She was carrying 1,040 tons of china clay across the Atlantic toward St. John's, Canada. Just after midnight on February 22, 1942, the convoy was attacked by German U-boats, and Sama was struck by a torpedo at 2:25 AM. The attack was carried out by U-155 under Kapitänleutnant Adolf Piening. The torpedo hit the ship's stern, causing her to sink within minutes. The sinking resulted in the loss of 19 lives, while 20 crew members and passengers were rescued by the American destroyer USS Nicholson. A maritime inquiry into the sinking was conducted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on March 7, 1942. The MS Sama's brief but significant history underscores her role in wartime maritime logistics and rescue operations, as well as the peril faced by merchant ships during the Battle of the Atlantic. Her story remains a poignant example of the risks faced by civilian vessels amid wartime naval warfare.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.