 She was operating with a crew of 95, and carried 147 passengers, one of whom was an American mining engineer called Leon Chester Thrasher (sometimes spelled Thresher).In addition, the ship was carrying 13 tons of cartridges and gunpowder.On 28 March, at 1140, the conning tower of U-28, commanded by Kapitänleutnant von Forstner, was sighted by Chief Officer Walter Baxter.