Hydro
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During
second world war both the Axis and the Allies did research
to bring forward the idea atomic weapons, and it was first
after the war was over that the Allied found out that the
German project had a long way to go before an actual
breakthrough. But during the war the Germans had begun to
transport heavy water from Telemark to Germany, and this
created great concerns in the Allied high command. An
action to stop the heavy water was necessary! After
several actions against Rjukan they had delayed the
production of heavy water, but not at all stopped it. The
final action was launched 20.February 1944 when the ferry
Hydro was about to bring heavy water and production
equipment from Rjukan. 8,4 kg of high explosives was
placed on the ferry, and when she had reached deep waters
the explosives went off. Hydro sank quickly and 18
civilian people perished in the sinking. After the war it
was debated if she had carried heavy water meant for
Germany at all or maybe the Germans had found other ways
to transport it to Germany? The truth was verified in the
early 1990s when a ROV filmed the wreck. Inside the wreck
several barrels of heavy water were identified, and three
of them were raised. The wreck rest today on a depth of
approx 400 meter in Tinnsjøen west of Gaustadtoppen.
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 Picture: Hydro Norsk Industriarbeider Museum   a barrel of heavy water recovered from the wreck Nils Vik, private collection ( 2005 ) |
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