CAPTAINS’ STATEMENTS CONTRADICTORY
Excitement over the cause of the disaster ran high, stimulated by the more or less conflicting stories. Captain Kendall and Captain Andersen, in their public statements, agreed that fog signals were exchanged when their vessels were a considerable distance apart, but there were irreconcilable statements as to the speed and as to the Storstad’s conduct immediately after the collision.
Extracts from the captains’ statements follow:
Captain Kendall: “I saw my ship was stopped. I blew two long blasts, meaning ‘My ship is stopped and has no way upon her.’”
Captain Andersen: “The Empress was going a good speed ahead. She was going fast. She was making considerable headway.”
Captain Kendall: “I shouted to the Storstad to keep his ship full speed ahead to fill the hole made. He backed away. The Empress then began to fill and listed over rapidly.”
Captain Andersen: “The Storstad’s engines were ordered ahead for the purpose of holding her bow against the side of the Empress, and thus preventing the entrance of water into the vessel. The headway of the Empress swung the Storstad around in such a way as to twist the Storstad out of the hole.”