Battle of Seal Cove

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Seal Cove
partof=Falklands War
campaign=


caption=Sketch depicting the chase of the Argentine coastal vessel "Monsunen" by British Frigates----1
The coastal ship ARA "Monsunen", after sailing out from Fox bay, is tracked by the British frigates HMS "Brilliant" and HMS "Yarmouth" under orders of capturing her.
2
The British force pin up the supply vessel off Lively island
3
The "Brilliant" Sea Lynx helicopter, with SBS troops onboard, is forced to withdraw under heavy machine gun fire.
4
The "Monsunen" radar detects the two frigates about 8 miles behind her and approaching at high speed. The warships start to shell the small vessel, which evades the British salvos by running aground on Seal Cove, blinding the British radar
5
After further shelling, the British gave up their chase, making back to San Carlos. ARA "Monsunen" is rescued by another coastal ship, ARA "Forrest", and taken in tow to Darwin.
6
After uploading "Monsunen"s cargo, "Forrest" managed to reach Port Stanley on May 25.
date=23 May 1982| place=Off Lively Island, Falklands Islands
casus=
territory=
result=Argentine tactical success
Supply ship was able
to complete her mission
combatant2=Flagicon|Argentina Argentina
combatant1=Flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
commander2=Captain Jorge A. Gopcevich-Canevari
(ARA "Monsunen")
commander1=Captain Anthony Morton
(HMS "Yarmouth")
Captain John Coward
(HMS "Brilliant")
strength2=1 Armed coastal ship
strength1=1 Type 22 frigate Frigate
1 Rothesay class Frigate
casualties2=Coastal ship beached
(later taken in tow and rescued by ARA "Forrest")
1 WIA
casualties1=None

The Battle of Seal Cove was a minor naval skirmish west of Lively Island, during the 1982 Falklands War. On May 22 1982, while supporting Operation Sutton off San Carlos Bay, the British frigates HMS "Brilliant" and HMS "Yarmouth" received orders to stop and seize the Argentine armed coastal supply boat ARA with a cargo of 150 fuel drums and 250 flour sacks.

The engagement

On the very first hours of May 23, a Sea Lynx identified the "Monsunen" while the latter was heading to the north, west of Lively Island. After a surrender order was radioed to the motorboat, another helicopter transporting a SBS team tried to intercept her. The aircraft was greeted with heavy machine gun and small arms fire, so it was forced to abort the mission. [The improvised ship’s "gunners" were an army sergeant and a conscript who served the 12.7 mm machine gun that shot at the "Lynx". The Argentine crew claim that the helicopter's fuselage was hit by the tracer bullets. [http://malvinense.com.ar/notasguerra/monsunen.htm#prof (Webpage with some photos of the ship and her crew)] ] At the same time, the coastal ship’s radar detected the British squadron about 8 miles to stern and approaching aggressively.

Almost immediately, HMS "Yarmouth" began to fire her 4.5 inch (114 mm) deck gun on the Argentine vessel, forcing her to manoeuvre in order to avoid the incoming rounds. When the distance fell to 4 miles, Captain Gopcevich, the Argentine commander, decided that the only way to deceive the British radar was to beach the boat on Seal Cove, a large inlet nearby.

Shortly after he succeeded in running aground his ship and ordering the crew to abandon her, the British shelling resumed. The fire was inaccurate and aimed at the general area of landing. In the process of evacuating the vessel, one of the ratings fell overboard and suffered some serious bruises, but he was successfully rescued by a young sailor. [This serviceman was honored with the highest Argentine Congress decoration after the war. Sadly, he committed suicide in January 2006. [http://www.clarin.com/diario/2006/01/26/elpais/p-00801.htm#prof (www.clarin.com/26 January 2006)] ] The crew members took refuge in an improvised inland shelter.

Aftermath

After effectively losing the track of their small enemy, the British frigates gave up and returned to San Carlos waters. [In the case of "Brilliant", she was later ordered to rejoin the main Task Force group, east of the Falklands, for refueling.] At dawn, "Monsunen ", with her engine still running, was found by her complement, apparently after refloating by the rising tide. However, a sling had became entangled with her propeller, disabling the transmission. With the ship's speed now dramatically reduced, Gopcevich radioed for help to Stanley.

A few hours later, another British trawler seized by the Argentines, ARA "Forrest", towed the "Monsunen" to Darwin. She was later recovered there by British forces on May 29, after the Battle of Goose Green.

The much needed cargo was uploaded by ARA "Forrest", which made for Stanley. The coaster successfully completed "Monsunen"'s relief mission on May 25. This incident is thought to be the only naval encounter between armed surface ships in the war. [ [http://www.naval-history.net/F42britsuccesses.htm#prof Naval-History.net] ]

Notes

References

* Contraalmirante Horacio A. Mayorga: " No Vencidos". Ed. Planeta, Buenos Aires, 1998, pp. 378-380. ISBN 950-742-976-X (Spanish).

* [http://www.naval-history.net/F45week8ops.htm#prof www.naval-history.net]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Barracks/4333/hist004.htm#prof "Apostadero naval Malvinas" (Spanish)]