During a storm off Chile on June 18, 1907 the Santiago, a cargo steamer built in 1904 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, was wrecked. She reportedly had engine trouble upon arriving at Corral, and they apparently were not repaired while in port. For unknown reasons Captain Whiteway left the safety of that port to head for Valparaiso carrying one passenger and between 87 and 90 crewmen.

Fifty miles north of Corral the ship was run on to the rocks and began to break up, one lifeboat was launched, but it either capsized or was destroyed on the rocks. Depending on the source only one or two people survived the ordeal.