The Republican fleet had left Cartagena for Oran, in Algeria, but the Republican Brigade 206 had retaken the port and its coastal defense batteries, thus preventing the Nationalist landing. The Nationalist ships retreated, except for Castillo de Olite, which had not received the order to withdraw, because her radio was out of order. While approaching the docks, one 152mm shellPérez Adán, 2006, p. 9 from a coastal battery hit her. She sank shortly afterwards, broken in two.Fernández, 1999, pp. 22–23
