Salvage operations began soon thereafter. Most of her cargo was saved, and temporary repairs were in progress when "Alchiba" was torpedoed again on 7 December, this time by midget submarine "Ha-38" (launched from ). An enemy submarine's conning tower had been spotted shortly before two torpedoes were fired. One passed close under the cargo ship's stern, but the other struck her No. 4 hold on the port side near the engine room. Although the hold cargo (500-pound bombs) had been unloaded earlier, the blast killed three men, including Everett M. Stuermer, MM2 wounded six others, and caused considerable structural damage. Once the fires and flooding were controlled, salvage operations resumed and enabled the ship to get underway for Tulagi on 27 December 1942.