Altmark entered Jossingfjord after Norwegian inspections had allowed her to continue through territorial waters. British destroyers remained nearby while Norwegian torpedo boats guarded the entrance. Vian demanded a search for British prisoners and proposed a joint inspection, but the Norwegian officer defended the earlier clearance and protested the breach of neutrality. Vian withdrew beyond territorial waters to request instructions, leaving the disagreement unresolved. The tanker kept her engines running so that she could move quickly. Entering the fjord also raised a distinction between transit through neutral waters and remaining in inland waters.
Chapter · 2:50:06-2:54:45
The Altmark affair: neutrality, prisoners, and intervention
Altmark's shelter in Jossingfjord brought Norwegian neutrality into conflict with British demands to search for prisoners.