Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

MV Koenjit Ex-M/S Stjerneborg
Built: 1929, Burmeister & Wain´s Maskin & Skibsbyggeri A/S, København
Launched: March 27, 1929, as M/S Stjerneborg
Weight: 4,551 gross tons
Length: 115,8 meters
Beam: 16,4 meters
Draft: 7,68 meters
Engine: 2x 4stroke 6cyl B&W diesel engine, 541 nHP
Speed: 12 knots
Captain R.M.Rosenhøj of Nykøbing Falster, served as her captain during more than 13 years.

From the 6/3-1929 to 12/5-1940, MV Koenjit was registered in København, sailing under Danish flag, owned by Rederiet Dannebrog, C.K. Hansen.

On May 5, 1942, MV Koenjit M/S Stjerneborg sailed for Alexandria, via Table Bay, Cape Town, as the route to the Mediterranean Sea was judged too dangerous due to the presence of German U-boats.
At 03.58AM, on May 13, 1942, the unescorted MV Koenjit M/S Stjerneborg was torpedoed by U-156, commanded by Werner Hartenstein, 300 miles north-northeast of Barbados.
The position of the hit icited in the logbook of U-156 was 15 deg 30 min N - 52 deg 40 min W.
One torpedo struck aft in the engine room and she began to sink over the stern.

On April 17, 1942, MV Koenjit M/S Stjerneborg entered Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she was loaded with ammunition, tanks, beer, whisky, a tow-boat and other goods for the British Forces in Egypt.

The 26 crew members of MV Koenjit M/S Stjerneborg, in one lifeboat, reached the French leprosy colony of Desirade, after one week; and were not detained by the authorities; they were allowed to continue to Roseau, Dominica.
The 13 sailors in the second lifeboat were rescued at about the same time by US tanker, Christy Payne, and transported to New Orleans.