Captain Hancock and his wife were both killed at sea on 14 February 1942 off the coast of Singapore, together with their son (also named Otho, an officer in the RAF). Records indicated that on the last day of fighting before fall of Singapore they were on the vessel, the "S.S. Kuala" at dock in Pom Pong Island whilst evacuating from Singapore, when it was bombed. Some reports suggest that Hancock left the ship by the gangway but then later returned to try and fight the blaze, and was never seen again.