There are two possibilities when a ship strikes a reef, either a soft pile-up or a hard pile up may take place.
In the former, the seabed may be soft clay, and in the latter, the ship may have run into a sharp reef with hard edges.
The edges of such reefs were often as sharp as knives. When a ship collides with such a reef in its course, it would be like being ripped by a knife. The body of the ship is often easily sliced open.
The fact that the waves were so turbulent meant that it was likely a huge reef.
The ship was traveling at a considerably high speed. A collision at this speed was extremely risky. When Little Yichen saw the ship come to a stop, he knew that the bottom must have been cut.
Once the hull was cut open, the impacted structures within could be torn apart, allowing water to enter.
If the hull became submerged in water, to a certain extent, it would cause the ship to capsize and sink…