U-53's raid beside neutral American destroyers

U-53 attacked merchant shipping near the Nantucket lightship on 8 October 1916, where several American coastal trade routes converged. An American steamer was released after its cargo list was checked, while other ships were stopped and sunk. American destroyers rescued passengers and crews as the submarine continued its operation. At one point a destroyer and U-53 came so close that both had to reverse their engines. The crowded waters made collision, a mistaken signal or a misplaced torpedo possible triggers for a German-American incident. The encounter ended without that clash.