Slightly past 13:33.5 minutes, the Master of the "Yuyo Maru No.10", who felt uncertain at last, ordered "Half ahead engine", "Slow ahead engine" and at 13:34 hours "Stop engine" Although he hoped that, during that period, the other vessel would take evasive action by altering course or putting the engine astern, he did not observe any such sign and, feeling danger, he ordered "Full astern engine" and sounded three short blasts slightly before 13:36 hours when the other vessel was coming extremely close to her starboard bow. Although at 13:36 hours, the Master himself operated the engine telegraph to give a "Full astern engine" order again, slightly before 13:37 hours on November 9,1974 , when she was headed on 025°, the bow of the Pacific Ares struck against the forward starboard section of the "Yuyo Maru No.10" at almost right angles at a position about 76°290 m from Naka-no Se Traffic Route No. 7 light buoy.
The weather at the time was cloudy, and hazy with visibility of about 2 miles.
The "Orion", which was home ported in Kurihama, the port of Yokosuka, was engaged in course guard services. The Master of the "Orion" met the "Yuyo Maru No.10" around 12:20 hours on November 9 and passed Uraga Suido Traffic Route No. 1 center light buoy port abeam, while positioning his vessel about 1,000 m ahead of the "Yuyo Maru No. 10" to guard her course.
When the "Orion" passed Naka-no Se Traffic Route No. 1 light buoy about 300 m on her port side at about 13:16 hours, the Master of the "Orion" set her course on 021° and put her engine full ahead to sail at about 11 knots since the "Yuyo Maru No. 10" was drawing near.
After making sure that there was no radar echo of a vessel ahead to guard against when she was about to enter the Naka-no Se Traffic Route from Uraga Suido, the Master of the "Orion" entrusted the radar watch to the Chief Engineer who abandoned watching the radar and decided to keep a visual look out only when she was overtaken by "Yuyo Maru No.10" slightly past 13:30 hours.
Slightly past 13:31 hours, the Master of the "Orion" sighted the "Pacific Ares" 38｡?n the starboard bow less than 1.4 miles off, and while paying attention to the movement of the same vessel, he felt that there was danger for the "Pacific Ares" to approach the "Yuyo Maru No.10", and turned the helm to starboard toward being ahead of the "Pacific Ares" while continuously sounding the motor siren to draw her attention. Slightly past 13:36 hours when a situation emerged where, with no sign of the "Pacific Ares" taking evasive action, and the collision between the "Pacific Ares", close to his starboard bow, and the "Yuyo Maru No.10", close to his port beam, became unavoidable, he put the helm hard over to starboard out of a fear of danger to his own boat. Both vessels collided shortly after that.
The "Pacific Ares", laden with 14,835 MT of steel products, left Nippon Steal Corp. Kimitsu Works East Pier No. 2 berth, at the port of Kisarazu, at 12:35 hours on November 9, 1974, bound for Los Angeles, U.S.A.
About 13:17 hours, the Pilot pointed out to the Master of "Pacific Ares" that the chart in use lacked marks for Kisarazu Port Entrance No. 1 and No. 2 light buoys and gave advice, advising "these are Kisarazu Port Entrance No. 1 and No. 2 light buoys".
