Norwegian inspections failed to discover Altmark's prisoners. One boarding officer gathered basic information, while the German crew used noisy winches to help conceal the captives. An experienced merchant captain then noticed that a tanker supposedly returning with fuel sat unusually high in the water. His report helped British authorities connect the sighting to the ship they had pursued since Montevideo. Professional observation had succeeded where formal inspection failed.
Notable Point · 41:26-44:29
How Norwegian inspections missed Altmark's prisoners
Weak inspections and active obstruction allowed Altmark to pass until a suspicious merchant captain reported the lightly loaded tanker.