 Hopman considered sending a torpedo boat to try to pull "Albatross" free, but the threat of Russian vessels in the area led him to abandon the idea.Instead, he sortied with "Prinz Adalbert" and "Prinz Heinrich", intending to reinforce Karpf's ships and then to rescue "Albatross".While he was en route, the British submarine torpedoed "Prinz Adalbert", badly damaging her and forcing Hopman to break off the operation.