The night of June 27, 1894, was calm. The steamer "Vladimir" was quietly sailing from Sevastopol to Odessa when the watchman noticed an unknown vessel heading straight for them. To avoid a collision, "Vladimir" signaled warnings, but the ship did not respond and soon approached so closely that a collision was unavoidable. A strong impact occurred, and "Vladimir" tilted.

Passengers, waking from the crash, initially did not understand what had happened, but upon looking out the portholes, realized that an emergency had occurred. Grabbing life jackets, they rushed to the upper deck, where cries for help were already heard. By the light of lanterns, the crew was able to see the name of the ship they had collided with. It was the Italian "Columbia." Captain Kryun of "Vladimir" called for help, but "Columbia" unexpectedly turned and attempted to flee.

Meanwhile, water filled the lower decks. By two o'clock in the morning, it broke into the engine room, knocking down the crew, and the electricity went out. Soon the stern began to sink, and the bow of the ship rose up, where all those waiting for rescue gathered. The vessel broke apart and slowly sank, cries for help echoed.

Fortunately, the steamer "Sineus" was passing nearby. It happened to be there by chance, as the captain was hurrying to Batumi and had left port three hours ahead of schedule. Those three hours saved nearly a hundred lives. "Sineus" not only rescued people but also caught up with "Columbia," blocked its path, and later helped retrieve the bodies of the deceased from the water. As a result of the tragedy, 104 people perished. Thus is the story of the "Black Sea Titanic."