The British in Freetown intercepted this message but, believing it might be a ruse of war, refused to credit it. Two days later, on 15 September, a message was passed to the Americans that "Laconia" had been torpedoed and the British merchant ship was en route to pick up survivors. The "poorly composed message" implied that "Laconia" had only been sunk that day and made no mention that the Germans were involved in a rescue attempt under a cease-fire or that neutral French ships were also en route.