Loss of España

30 April 1937, Off Santander

España sunk by a Nationalist mine

España and Velasco were enforcing the blockade of Santander when they stopped a British freighter. Turning to support Velasco, España ran into a minefield the Nationalists themselves had laid off the port. The mine tore open her engine and boiler rooms; she listed slowly, which gave Velasco time to come alongside and take off her crew, and four men died. The Nationalists blamed a loose Republican mine, but divers who found the wreck in 1984 showed it had been one of their own.