MS Palatia (1928)

Palatia
History
Name	1928–40: Palatia 1940–41: Khasan 1941–42: Palatia
Owner	Hamburg America Line (1928–40) Soviet Union (1940–41) Kriegsmarine (1941–42)
Port of registry	Hamburg (1928–33) Hamburg (1933–40) Soviet Union (1940–41) Nazi Germany (1941–42)
Route	Hamburg – New York
Builder	Schiffswerft H. Koch A.G. in Lübeck
Yard number	273
Launched	26 May 1928
Identification	code letters: RHBJ (1928–33)[1] call sign: DIEI (1934–42)[2]
Fate	Sunk by No. 489 Squadron RNZAF torpedo bomber 21 October 1942
General characteristics
Type	Cargo liner (1928–41) Naval transport ship (1941–42)
Tonnage	3,979 GRT, 2,280 NRT
Length	114.0 m (374.0 ft)
Beam	16.4 m (53.7 ft)
Draught	6.9 m (22.6 ft)
Installed power	1,709 NHP
Propulsion	6-cylinder double-acting two-stroke diesel engine
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h)

MS Palatia was a German cargo liner, built in 1928. After serving for several years on the Hamburg America Line's route to the Caribbean, she was sold to the Soviet Union in 1940. Following the outbreak of war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in June 1941, she was captured by the Germans and pressed into Kriegsmarine service.

She was sunk on 21 October 1942 by a Royal New Zealand Air Force torpedo bomber, while carrying a load of prisoners of war intended for slave labour in German-occupied Norway. In total, 986 people have later been reported killed in the incident; 915 prisoners, in addition to German soldiers and crew members.