In 1982, dozens of men were feared dead in the seas around the Falkland Islands after the container ship Atlantic Conveyor and the destroyer HMS Coventry were hit by Argentine missiles. HMS Coventry managed to destroy two Argentine Skyhawk planes with Sea Dart missiles. Another wave of Skyhawks hit her four times with 1,000 bombs. She capsized, losing 21 of her crew.

An explosion and a fireball swept through the operations room. The ship listed to port and the crew and wounded made their way to the upper decks from where they were rescued. It is thought the Atlantic Conveyor, owned by Cunard, was mistaken for the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. The vessel's troop-carrying Chinook helicopters, key equipment necessary to re-capture the islands, sank with the ship.

More than 900 people died in the three-week war - 655 Argentines, 255 British troops and three Falkland islanders. The Falklands War gave a huge boost to Eva Peron's popularity. She won the general election the following year with a massive majority and remained in power until 1990.