25 Years After the Sinking of the General Belgrano
The Bloodiest and Most Controversial Military Action of the Falklands War
The Loss of 368 Lives
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the sinking of the Argentine Navy light cruiser General Belgrano C-4 by the British submarine HMS Conqueror during the Falklands War. The sinking of the Belgrano was the bloodiest and most controversial military action of the war, resulting in the loss of 368 lives.
Although reports at the time said Tigerfish missiles had been used, it was in fact older Mark 8 torpedoes that sank the Belgrano. The torpedoes struck the Belgrano in the early hours of May 2, 1982, while the ship was sailing outside the British-declared exclusion zone around the Falkland Islands.
The sinking of the Belgrano caused outrage in Argentina and led to a diplomatic crisis between Britain and Argentina. The Argentine government accused Britain of a war crime, while the British government maintained that the sinking was justified because the Belgrano was a legitimate military target.
The sinking of the Belgrano also had a significant impact on the course of the Falklands War. The loss of the cruiser weakened the Argentine navy and made it more difficult for Argentina to defend the Falkland Islands.
The sinking of the General Belgrano remains a controversial event, and there are still many unanswered questions about what happened.
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