The Venetian fleet arrived at Acre at the end of May[8] and was informed about a Fatimid fleet, of around a hundred sail, sailing towards Ascalon[9] in order to assist the Emir Balak at his siege. Thus the Venetian fleet sailed south in order to meet it and Doge Michele ordered the division of the fleet into two parts with the weaker force at the helm and the stronger one hiding behind it.[8] With the intent to divert the fleet off Ascalon.[9] The Egyptians fell into the trap assuming an easy victory they were now caught between two Venetian squadrons and outnumbered. Some 4,000 Saracens were killed[10] including the Fatimid admiral and 9 vessels captured[11] with the Venetians adding to their triumph the capture of 10 merchant vessels on rout back to Acre.[8] Both Fulcher of Chartres (Book III/20) and William of Tyre (Book XII/22-23) recorded the event.