MS Hans Hedtoft

P1

The Hans Hedtoft was a 1958 purpose built for arctic conditions the ship. It surveyed 2,875 GRT and was considered unsinkable. The ship was the pride of the Greenland fleet. It was named after the Danish politician Hans Hedtoft.

In January 1959, the ship was on the return trip from Greenland to Copenhagen. 60 nautical miles south of Cape Farewell rammed the ship during a storm on January 30, an iceberg. The hull was so wide open that the engine room was full of water.

Due to the weather conditions was no ship will be able to come to their aid; an attempt at rescue by the German trawler John Kruss was inconclusive. The sinking ship had swept 40 -man crew and 55 passengers to death. Lost also important Greenlandic state documents and church records, which should transport the ship to the Danish National Archives in Copenhagen.