From 1932 Fabre Line leased her to Services Contractuels des Messageries Maritimes, who ran her between the south of France and the Levant.

After the fall of France in June 1940 the British authorities in Mandatory Palestine seized her in the Port of Haifa and placed her under the management of the British-India Steam Navigation Company.

However, the captain of the ship at the time, Pierre Deschelles, stated in an affidavit that while he didn't see the German submarine, members of the crew and many passengers did.

[7] On 19 January 1932, Fabre Line leased Patria for eight years to Messageries Maritimes,[3] who placed her in service between the Levant and the south of France.

[2] Later that year, off the Ionian island of Zakynthos, Patria rescued three survivors from the sinking of a Greek vessel, the Tinios Stavtos.

Any Allied ship passing Italy to reach France would now be in danger of attack, so Patria remained in port in Haifa.

[9] She listed to that side and sank in 16 minutes,[10] settling on the harbour bed with part of her hull and superstructure above water.