Action of 8 May 1941

Action of 8 May 1941
Part of the Second World War
Location map of the Seychelles
Date 8 May 1941 Location off the Seychelles, Indian Ocean 3°30′N 57°48′E / 3.5°N 57.8°E / 3.5; 57.8 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
P. C. W. Manwaring	Ernst-Felix Krüder  †
Strength
Heavy cruiser Cornwall	Auxiliary cruiser Pinguin
Casualties and losses
1 killed c. 200 imprisoned sailors killed 22 liberated Cornwall slightly damaged	323 killed 60 captured Pinguin sunk

The action of 8 May 1941 was a single ship action fought during the Second World War by the British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall and the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) auxiliary cruiser Pinguin/Schiff 33 (Raider F to the Admiralty). The engagement took place in the Indian Ocean off the Seychelles archipelago, north of Madagascar. Pinguin caused slight damage to Cornwall, before its fire on Pinguin caused an explosion and sank it.

A British sailor was killed and about c. 200 of the 222 British and Indian Merchant Navy prisoners on Pinguin, captured from over thirty merchant vessels, were also killed. Of the crew of 401 men, 323 were killed and 60 were rescued along with 22 of the Merchant Navy prisoners. Cornwall returned to Durban for repairs until 10 June.