The minelayer HNoMS Frøya was built for the Royal Norwegian Navy by the naval shipyard in Horten during World War I, with yard number 108.

At the time the Germans invaded Norway, Frøya was underway from Finnmark to Horten naval base in the Oslofjord, and on 8 April she anchored at Brekstad harbour at Ørland Municipality at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord.

Due to bad weather Captain T. Schrøder-Nielsen was reluctant to cross Hustadvika bay on with the ship's full load of mines and had sought shelter at Brekstad overnight.

On 13 April Captain Schrøder-Nielsen decided all hope was lost and, refusing to let his ship fall into German hands, he ordered her scuttled.

As the U-boat captain believed her still to be salvageable for the Norwegians the submarine torpedoed Frøya, blowing the stern off the already wrecked minelayer.