At 09:46 hrs, two hours after leaving Stranraer, a message was transmitted in Morse code ("Princess Victoria" did not have a radio telephone) by radio operator David Broadfoot to the Portpatrick Radio Station: "Hove-to off mouth of Loch Ryan. Vessel not under command. Urgent assistance of tugs required". With a list to starboard exacerbated by shifting cargo, water continued to enter the ship. At 10:32 hrs, an SOS message was finally transmitted, and the order to abandon ship was given at 14:00.