 Shortly before the German invasion the UK announced that the Royal Navy had laid a number of minefields along the coast of Norway to interfere with the German import of Swedish iron ore through the North Norwegian port of Narvik.The British government claimed to have mined three areas; off Stad, Hustadvika, and Landegode north of Bodø.In response to this report, the Norwegian government ordered the minesweepers "Otra" and "Rauma" to sail north from their base in Horten and sweep the minefields on 9 April 1940.