ARA Bahía Buen Suceso

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ARA Bahía Buen Suceso (B6) was a 5,000-ton fleet transport that served in the Argentine Navy. It was launched in 1950 and was commissioned in June 1950. It sank after being used as target practice by the Royal Navy on 21 October 1982.

[edit] Falklands war

It took scrap metal merchants to South Georgia on 19 March 1982. It was also involved in the blockade running to the Falkland Islands. While berthed in Fox Bay East on West Falkland, it was attacked by two BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1s (XZ500 and ZA191) from HMS Hermes. Because it was so close to houses the Harriers used their 30 mm ADEN cannons rather than General-purpose bombs. They succeeded in damaging the ship's bridge and engine room, and also setting fire to a paint store and workshop nearby. One of the Harriers was hit in the tail by a 7.62 mm caliber bullet from Argentine anti-aircraft fire, though it was able to return to Hermes safely.^[1]

After the attack the ship was not used and remained moored in Fox Bay East. In a storm during the conflict it partially tore loose from its moorings and the bow swung on to the beach. Following the conflict it was towed to San Carlos Water by the tug Irishman where the cargo of ammunition was unloaded, then on 21 October 1982 it was towed out to deep water where it was sunk by a combination of Naval gunfire and fire from Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1s from No. 809 NAS. It was also hit by a torpedo from the submarine HMS Oynx.

[edit] References

^ Morgan, David [2006]. "Chapter 6", Hostile Skies. Phoenix, pg 142. ISBN -13 978-0-7538-2199-2. “as a hole from a 7.62millimetre rifle bullet was found in his tail”