The ship was at dawn 9 April 1940 on the way from Kristiansand when she came under crossfire between the German cruiser and other German invaders and the Norwegian Odderøya Fortress. The Norwegian forces thought that she was a supply vessel that supported the German forces and began firing on her with their 150 mm cannons. She turned and headed back to the harbor of Kristiansand. "Seattle" was subjected to fierce shelling and caught fire. The crew went to the lifeboats while she was abandoned, burning. Once the crew came ashore, they were held as prisoners of war until the following day. "Seattle" was drifting to burn out for several days. She then started taking in water and sank.