25th Anniversary of the attack on MV Atlantic Conveyor

An extract from the RN history on the Falklands War
The Cunard Roll-on/Roll-off container ship Atlantic Conveyor was taken up from trade and converted to serve as an aircraft transport. To do so containers were used to provide the necessary services for embarked aircraft and their attached personnel. A particular feature was the use of containers to create a sheltered area to protect the aircraft from the worst of the weather. The ship embarked 8 Sea Harriers, 6 Harriers GR3s, 8 Wessex 5 helicopters and 5 Chinook helicopters.

On 25 May Atlantic Conveyor was with the task group east of the Falklands. A pair of Argentine Super Etendard aircraft carrying Exocet missiles attacked the British ships. One missile was directed at one of the frigates which deployed distracting metal strips (Chaff). The Chaff did its job and the missile flew on having lost its original target. It then acquired Atlantic Conveyor which was hit on the port quarter, starting huge fires. This led to the eventual abandonment of the ship and 12 men were lost. The loss of 3 Wessex and 3 Chinooks was very significant as they reduced greatly the intended mobility of British land forces in the planned campaign to move from San Carlos to Stanley.

By Colin de Mowbray

HMS ALACRITY was just a few miles away when Atlantic Conveyor was hit. We made straight for her to give assistance. Mercifully the sea was calm but the large swell remained. The fire quickly became well established and it soon became evident that it could not be contained. My memory was of the paint blistering and the dull thump of the internal explosions; we were all aware that she was full of explosives.

When the order was given to abandon ship one of the main problems was the height of the ships side. With two, and then one, jumping ladder (a kind of rope ladder) getting into the water was a real problem for the survivors. The life rafts were all bunched up by the ladder and so some were overfull while others were empty. In all over 70 people climbed on board HMS ALACRITY, some unscathed and others not so lucky. It was evident how the aircrew, in their proper survival equipment, had fared so much better. The lessons on survival were all too evident but have we learnt from this?

The 25th May is the biggest date in the Argentinean’s calendar and they were always going to launch a major push on that day. The sinking of both HMS COVENTRY and the ATLANTIC CONVEYOR made this a dark day for the British forces.