The collision occurred during a routine voyage of the SS Utopia, a British steamship, which was en route to various destinations in the Mediterranean. The HMS Anson, a British Royal Navy battleship, was conducting maneuvers in the Bay of Gibraltar at the time. The weather conditions were reportedly clear, and the incident caught many by surprise due to the apparent lack of communication and navigational oversight between the two vessels. The impact resulted in significant damage to the Utopia, leading to its rapid sinking. Lifeboats were deployed, but overcrowding and chaos hindered effective rescue operations. The loss of life was catastrophic, with 562 passengers tragically perishing in the cold waters of the bay. The disaster highlighted critical flaws in maritime safety protocols, including the need for better training for crews and stricter regulations regarding the operation of passenger vessels around military ships.