Wreck of HMS Ardent (F184)

 military, shipwreck

HMS Ardent was a Type 21 Frigate in service with the Royal Navy during the Falklands War and was providing gunfire and airspace support to Royal Marines advancing towards Goose Green when she was attacked by A-4 Skyhawks & IAI Daggers of the Argentine Air Force on May 21, 1982.

Ardent was hit in the amidships & stern area by 9-500lb bombs, though only 3 actually exploded. Electrical power was quickly lost and she was unable to operate her dual purpose bow gun or her anti-aircraft missile batteries against her attackers. Fires caused by the bombs and the fuel from the ships helicopter which had been destroyed in its hanger quickly began to spread, however the crew were able to begin firefighting efforts almost immediately. Once the first group of attackers had cleared the area the ship got underway at 17 knots for the protected waters of San Carlos, still afire.

Approximately 20 minutes after the first attack the ship was again attacked by Argentine A-4's which put 2 more 500lb bombs into her stern and sealed her fate. With her engines knocked off their mounts and her entire stern a mass of flaming wreckage, her Captain put his ship into Grantham Sound where the order to abandon ship was given.

The ship burned through the night of the 21st and sank on the morning of the 22nd, with the loss of 22 of her crew. Some of her electrical systems and anti-aircraft batteries were salvaged shortly after the sinking, but the wreck was left mostly intact.

Today HMS Ardent is considered a war grave and is under the Protection of Military Remains Act. Its exact location remains classified to protect the remains of her crew that are still onboard and to prevent vandalism & looting of artifacts.

www.hmsardent.org.uk/