MV Kota Pinang was a cargo liner ordered by Rotterdamsche Lloyd and built by Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij in Amsterdam in 1930. She was launched on 23 November 1930.[2] In May 1940, the ship was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, renamed to the MV Clara and converted into a Reconnaissance scout [3] for naval operations by the German battleship Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen in the Atlantic.[4] In June 1941, the ship was converted again to operate as a U-boat supply vessel.[4] On the 3 October 1941, she was sunk by the British cruiser Kenya.
The Kota Pinang was one of a number of cargo liners built from the mid-1920s onwards by Rotterdam Lloyds to take Muslim pilgrims from the Dutch East Indies to Jeddah, on their journey to the Hajj.[5] The first ship in the series was the Kota Inten built in 1928.[5]
On 3 October 1941, the Kota Pinang was sighted at 43°31′N 24°04′W / 43.51°N 24.06°W / 43.51; -24.06, 750 miles (1,210 km) west of Cape Finisterre by the Fiji-class cruiser Kenya.[6] At 17:18 hours, the Kota Pinang reported a ship behind her.[7] At the time, the Kota Pinang was being escorted by the German submarine U-129. Kota Pinang attempted to disguise herself by signalling that she was an English freighter, in an attempt to lure Kenya across the line of fire, of her escort[7] Heavy rain stymied her efforts and at 17:28 hours Kenya opened fire on the Kota Pinang, which was heavily damaged.[7] At 17:43 the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship and at 17:45, scuttling charges exploded in the Kota Pinang engine room.[7] The Kenya fired a single torpedo to complete the ships sinking.[7]
The German submarine U-79 had been ordered to escort the Kota Pinang to the South Atlantic and waited at their rendezvous point, not realising she had already been sunk.[8]
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