The Mystery of SS Worcestershire

‘SS Worcestershire’, the freight ship belonging to Bibby Line Company, on its way from Rangoon to
London, was in Sri Lankan waters, carrying a cargo of 7175 tons at 10 knots.
Radio signals were exchanged to the effect that something crashed into the hull f the ship while being
12km away from the Mount Lavinia coast on 17th February 1917. Later on, signals were received that
the ship was sinking.
If signals reported a collision with something, what was that object? What happened to those on
board?
This is the story about the sunken ship “SS Worcestershire”