The ship was torpedoed and sank in four minutes. One lifeboat was wrecked by the explosion and the other capsized. The Master jumped into the sea, swam to a raft and picked up two men. After long efforts they succeeded in joining another raft, on which thirteen of the crew had escaped, and lashed the rafts together. They were short of food and water and had only six blankets. These were used at night as sails and by day as shades from the fierce sun. After five nights and six days they were picked up. The Master did all that he could to keep heart in his men, and his courage, discipline and resource led to the saving of fifteen lives.