"Arlanza"s bow dipped lower in the water, but the bulkhead doors between her watertight compartments were closed and prevented her from sinking. Some of her lifeboats were launched and the Russian delegation was taken off. An accident when lowering one of the lifeboats dropped a number of Russian representatives and Royal Navy sailors into the icy water, but all were rescued. One of the trawlers returned to assist but struck one of "Arlanza"s propellers, which had been raised by the lowering of her bow. The trawler was holed and sank, but "Arlanza" remained afloat. Everyone who had been taken off returned aboard "Arlanza".