In the heart of Klaksvík, in the green area of Vágstún, stands a solemn and symbolic memorial. It was erected to honor the lives lost at sea, in particular the tragic fate of the Faroese schooner Fossánes, which disappeared during a fierce storm in March 1938. The ship and its 19 crew members were never seen again, making it the most devastating maritime accident to ever strike the Northern Isles.

The Fossánes was a three-masted schooner of 153.38 gross tons, originally built in Frederiksund, Denmark, in 1931. In 1937, it was purchased and renamed by Óli á Eiðinum and Kjølbro. The following year, it set out for the south coast of Iceland along with three other Faroese vessels to try a new fishing method using gillnets—an approach that had proven successful for both Norwegians and Icelanders. But the weather that spring was unforgiving. On March 4th, a powerful storm swept across the sea, and the Fossánes vanished without a trace. Only a single lantern, later found by an Icelandic boat tangled in a fishing net, confirmed the ship’s fate.

The tragedy deeply affected the community, and shortly after the incident, local residents began raising funds for a memorial. Five years later, on August 29, 1943, the monument in Vágstún was officially inaugurated. It features the cross, the anchor, and the heart—symbols of faith, hope, and love.

In 1988, on the 45th anniversary of the memorial and the 50th anniversary of the sinking of Fossánes, a ceremony was held where a wreath was laid at the site. Niels Pauli Danielsen, parish priest, emphasized how the memory of Fossánes was a major driving force behind the creation of the monument. The event served not only to commemorate the lost crew, but also to remind future generations of the sacrifices made by Faroese seamen.

The memorial stands today not just as a marker of loss, but as a lasting tribute to the courage, faith, and resilience of Klaksvík’s people and their enduring connection to the sea.