ðə tɹˈædʒədi wʌz ɹᵻpˈoːɹɾᵻd ɪnðə tˈaɪmz ˌɔn twˈɛnti tˈuː ˈeɪpɹəl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvən, ænd mˈʌtʃ kˈɑːmɛnt wʌz mˌeɪd æt ðə tˈaɪm ɐbˌaʊt ðə wˈɔːɹ ɹˈɛkɚd ʌvðə dɹˈaʊnd mˈɛn, æz mˈɛnɪəv ðˌɛm hæd sˈɜːvd ɪnðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ɪdʒˈɪpʃən kæmpˈeɪn ʌv wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd wˈʌn ˌʌndɚ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl sˌɜː ɹˈælf ˌæbɚkɹˈɑːmbi, wˌɛɹ ðeɪ hæd dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃt ðɛmsˈɛlvz ɪn ˈækʃən.
The tragedy was reported in The Times on 22 April 1807, and much comment was made at the time about the war record of the drowned men, as many of them had served in the British Egyptian Campaign of 1801 under General Sir Ralph Abercromby, where they had distinguished themselves in action.