A flotilla of ocean-going tugboats and pilot boats arrived at the grounding site the following morning. Attempts to free the liner that day failed. The following day, after three hours of pulling and nudging, the tugs were able to yank Caronia free from the mudbank. After a quick inspection at Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn, it was determined that the liner suffered no serious damage. Caronia continued her voyage to Liverpool without further delay or incident, and the incident receded into history.
Pointless Trivia Box: Actor Heny Fonda, who starred in the great liner-themed movie The Lady Eve, was born on the day of the near-collision: 16 May 1905.
If it hadn’t been for the quick thinking of the harbor pilot, who was willing to risk his career on a no-win decision, this story would have likely had a much more tragic ending.
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