Collision between a Russian Kotlin destroyer and the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (November 1970)

Image
On 9 November 1970, the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal collides with a Soviet Kotlin-class destroyer shadowing it off the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. This incident results in the death of two Soviet sailors.

Source and copyright

Source: The Kotlin destroyer approaching HMS ARK ROYAL. A Russian destroyer seen from the deck of HMS ARK ROYAL, while on an exercise in the eastern Mediterranean, November 1970. [online] HMS ARK ROYAL IN COLLISION WITH RUSSIAN KOTLIN GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER. NOVEMBER 1970, ON BOARD HMS ARK ROYAL, OFF CRETE, EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN WHEN SHE COLLIDED WITH A SHADOWING KOTLIN DESTROYER. SEVEN RUSSIAN SAILORS WERE THROWN OVERBOARD AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION, FIVE WERE RECOVERED BY ROYAL NAVAL BOATS AND TWO WERE MISSING. ARK ROYAL WAS HOLED ABOVE THE WATER LINE IN THE COLLISION, BUT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THE JOINT NAVY-RAF SEA EXERCISE 'LIME JUG'. Part of ADMIRALTY OFFICIAL COLLECTION. Royal Navy official photographer. London: Imperial War Museum. Black and White. © Crown copyright. IWM (A 35308) .
Catalogue number A 35308
Available at: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205165554.

Copyright: (c) Imperial War Museum

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Collision between a Russian <i>Kotlin</i> destroyer and the British aircraft carrier HMS <i>Ark Royal</i> (November 1970)