Berthold Storfer acted on behalf of the Vienna Jewish community and with the consent of the Nazi authorities. In November 1940, his ships, the Pacific, Milos, and the Atlantic, arrived in Haifa but were impounded by the British. The refugees were transferred to the British ship Patria for deportation to Mauritius. The Haganah placed a bomb onboard the ship to prevent its departure, but accidently caused the Patria to sink. Over 250 people died.
