Falklands War: HMS Coventry Sunk

May 25, 1982 - While sailing in company with HMS Broadsword off the Falklands, HMS Coventry (left) is attacked by Argentine A-4 Skyhawks and sunk. A Type 42 (Sheffield Class) destroyer, Coventry was supporting British landings on East Falkland as part of the campaign to retake the islands from the Argentineans. The British ultimately succeeded in reclaiming their lost colony, however the Royal Navy lost four warships and two support vessels in the process.

Early on May 25, Coventry shot down a pair of Argentine aircraft. Later in the day, it detected four Argentine A-4 Skyhawks approaching at low level. Flying just off the surface of the water, the attackers were able to evade Coventry's targeting radar. Broadsword attempted to lock on with its Sea Wolf missiles, however the targeting system locked up and had to be reset. The first bomb hit Broadsword's flight deck but failed to explode. In an attempt to distract the attackers, Coventry fired an unaimed Sea Dart missile and turned hard to starboard to reduce its profile. On Broadsword the targeting radar had been fixed and the aircraft acquired, however Coventry's turn had placed the ship in the line of fire. Coventry was hit with three bombs and began to sink. Within twenty minutes the ship had capsized with the loss of nineteen of its crew. Following the war, a memorial to Coventry's crew was erected on nearby Pebble Island.

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