Background
Esbensen was born in Vadsø to Peder Esbensen (born 1844), and Karen (born 1849).
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Viktor Esbensen
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He was killed when his ship was sunk in World World War World War II The couple settled in Bærum, and had six children. Esbensen was educated as a first mate and shipmaster after leaving middle school. He was among the original founding party of Grytviken, South Georgia along with Carl Anton Larsen.
Esbensen was a manager for Compañía Argentina de Pesca, which organized the building of Grytviken, the first land-based whaling station in Antarctica put into operation on 24 December 1904.
Esbensen Bay is named after him. Around the outbreak of World World War II, Esbensen took over as Captain of the ship Steamship Bjørnvik.
The ship escaped the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, having arrived in Methil on 3 April, and continued in service in and around the United Kingdom. On the morning of 27 January 1942, the ship was en route from Newport to Fowey with a cargo of patent fuel, and had joined a convoy.
However, due to bad weather the ship lost its convoy in the evening the same day, and in the afternoon the next day it was suddenly attacked and sunk by German aircraft outside of Falmouth.
The ship being hit by five bombs, she sank in half a minute. Most of its crew perished, including Esbensen. His date of death was given as 29 February.
Only the first mate, a stoker and a gunner survived.
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Born
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Died
January 29, 1942 (aged 60) -
Nationality
Norway