On 26 November 1941, a damaged lifeboat carrying 62 "Kriegsmarine" (German navy) sailors and officers was spotted by an aircraft looking for the missing Australian cruiser ; the aircraft directed "Centaur" to the lifeboat. Upon encountering the lifeboat, food was lowered to its occupants, and one person was allowed on board to explain the situation. Initially posing as a Norwegian merchant navy officer, the man quickly revealed that he was the first officer of the and that the lifeboat contained German survivors from "Kormoran"s battle with HMAS "Sydney" seven days earlier, including Captain Theodor Detmers.