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After the ship went down, the British picked up a few survivors when they received a report of a submarine in the area. They quickly left before the other survivors (who later drowned) could be saved.

When I saw a television documentary, no mention was made of any report of submarines. In fact, it was made clear that even the British sailors were upset that they were not allowed to continue rescuing able-bodied Germans who were swimming to the rope-nets hanging over the side of the British ship. Tragically, the looks on the faces of the doomed German sailors is recorded on film, as they realize they are being left to die. The narrator even speculated that the true reason for the aborted rescue operation was the British skipper's bitterness over the sinking of the Hood.