MV Kota Pinang (Reconnaissance ship)
# MV Kota Pinang (Reconnaissance ship)

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. In May 1940, the ship was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, renamed to the MV Clara and converted into a Reconnaissance scout for naval operations by the German battleship Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen in the Atlantic. In June 1941, the ship was converted again to operate as a U-boat supply vessel. On the 3 October 1941, she was sunk by the British cruiser Kenya.

## Construction

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. The first ship in the series was the Kota Inten built in 1928.

## Sinking

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. At 17:18 hours, the Kota Pinang reported a ship behind her. 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 Heavy rain stymied her efforts and at 17:28 hours Kenya opened fire on the Kota Pinang, which was heavily damaged. At 17:43 the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship and at 17:45, scuttling charges exploded in the Kota Pinang engine room. The Kenya fired a single torpedo to complete the ships sinking.

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.

