The steel motor vessel Birgitta was launched from the Kalmar yard of Kalmar Varv (Yard No 384) on 3rd December 1955. She measured 184.2′ x 31.3′ x 13.0′ and her tonnage was 496 gross tons, 325 net tons. She was powered by an 8 cylinder 2SA diesel engine by Klockner-Humboldt Deutch delivering 500 brake horse power. Delivered in April 1956 Carl-Otto Pernlöf P/R (Henckel & Schander AB), Gothenburg, Sweden she began her service from this Swedish port. In June 1959 she was sold to Miranda Schiffahrt GmbH (Carl-Otto Pernlöf, Gothenburg), Hamburg, West Germany who named her Miranda and only a few months later in October that year she was sold again to Knud Nordendorph P/R, Uddevalla, Sweden with her name returning to Birgitta. In June 1961 she was sold to Thunrederierna AB (Helge Källsson), Lidköping, Sweden who named her Anders. Finally in November 1968 she was sold to K/S A/S Bravik & Co. (Viking Shipping Co. A/S), Oslo and renamed Normannvik.
Normannvik as Anders
Lloyd’s register 1970
On 18th March 1970 Normannvik was en route from Hakonhals, Finland to Runcorn with a load of felspar under the command of Captain Odd Buseth who had a crew of seven men aboard. As they headed south through the Minch the weather deteriorated and soon the ship was struggling in heavy seas. At one point a huge wave broke over the ship’s side ripping away a section of the railing and smashing a hole in her deck. As the waves continued to pound the ship water was rushing through the gaping hole and flooding the cargo hold. Soon the ship had taken on a 20 degree list to starboard further increasing the inflow of sea water into the hold. The ship was in serious trouble. Buseth issued a mayday call requesting assistance and headed for Stornoway but it was soon clear that he would not make it there. A Shackleton aircraft took off and headed to the scene intent on guiding the lifeboat to the stricken vessel but as the rescue headed to the scene a second message from Buseth announced that they were abandoning ship and taking to the ship’s boat. Thankfully the Stornoway fishing vessel Resolve had picked up the Mayday messages and was nearby. The crew of the Normannvik safely transferred to the Resolve as soon as she arrived on the scene and were taken to Lochinver. Normannvik sank soon after the crew abandoned ship.
Scotsman 24th March
The wreck believed to be Normannvik lies in position 58 12.793N, 05 43.204W. The wreck, which was last surveyed in 1984, is oriented 085/265 degrees and was reported at the time to be 52 metres long – a close match to the dimensions of Normannvik. She lies in 86 metres with a least depth clearance of 75 metres.
