On the evening of 25 May Carlos de Eizaguirre was off the Atlantic coast of South Africa, steaming at a reduced speed of because there was a heavy sea as her Master, Fermín Luzárraga, did not want to reach Cape Town before morning. At 0330 hrs on Saturday 26 May there was an explosion on the starboard side of the ship's number two hold, breaking her back. The wireless operator transmitted a distress signal and Captain Luzárraga gave the order to abandon ship.
