Battle of Cape Spartel

29 September 1936, Strait of Gibraltar

Nationalist victory; Republican blockade of the Strait broken

Canarias and Almirante Cervera came south from Ferrol and caught the two Republican destroyers left guarding the Strait. Canarias hit Almirante Ferrándiz with her second salvo at about 20 km and sank her after a 40-minute chase into the Alboran Sea. Almirante Cervera hit Gravina twice, and she escaped to Casablanca. With the Strait open, the Nationalists could ship the Army of Africa from Morocco to Spain by sea.

Spanish Republican Navy

2 ships, 1 lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Almirante Ferrándiz Hit six times and blew up; Canarias and a French liner picked up survivors	Destroyer Churruca class	Sunk
Gravina Hit twice; escaped to Casablanca	Destroyer Churruca class	Escaped

Ship

Type

Outcome

Almirante Ferrándiz

Hit six times and blew up; Canarias and a French liner picked up survivors

Destroyer

Churruca class

Sunk

Gravina

Hit twice; escaped to Casablanca

Destroyer

Churruca class