on 29 september 1939, the norwegian merchant navy suffered its first loss to a u-boat, when the england-bound was stopped by the german u-boat and torpedoed and shelled after the crew abandoned ship. the lumber-carrying cargo ship broke in two, the bow section sinking and the stern section remaining afloat to be salvaged later. following the attack, the crew sailed towards the norwegian coast in two lifeboats. shortly after the incident, the lifeboats were spotted by a seaplane of the royal norwegian navy air service. "storm" was directed to the scene, and took the lifeboats under tow to sund near bergen.