When the German invasion of Norway was initiated on 9 April 1940, Irma was at Bergen,[REF] one of the Norwegian cities captured by German forces that day.
Irmas sinking constituted the last major loss for the Hurtigruten service during the Second World War, with numerous coastal passenger ships having up to that point been lost to mines, air and submarine attacks since the April 1940 German invasion of Norway [REF].