The Story of RAF Typhoons Mistakenly Sank Thousands of Prisoners in the Last Days of WWII

The War’s Final Weeks

By April 1945, Europe was collapsing under the weight of war. Berlin burned under Soviet artillery, and American tanks raced through southern Germany. The Reich had only weeks left. Yet in London, Winston Churchill looked past the imminent German defeat. His concern was what would follow. In a telegram to his foreign secretary, he urged British forces to secure Lübeck before the Soviets, fearing the Baltic could fall under Russian control.

At the same time, intercepted signals revealed that senior German figures were gathering in the north. The fear in British war rooms was clear: these men might escape to Norway. Its fjords could serve as hiding places for submarines and fanatical units, threatening years of continued violence even after Europe had hoped for peace.

The Evacuation of Prisoners

On April 20, prisoners at the Neuengamme camp near Hamburg heard distant artillery. Liberation seemed close, but instead came the order to evacuate. Hundreds were packed into railway wagons bound for Lübeck. Many perished on the way. Those who survived were forced aboard large ships in the bay, including the liner Cap Arcona.

Once a proud passenger ship, she was now filled with thousands of prisoners crammed into holds and cabins. Testimonies described appalling conditions—people standing pressed against one another, with barely enough food or water, no sanitation, and little air. Some prisoners believed the ship might take them to safety, perhaps to Sweden. Instead, they were being used as cover, hidden among civilian-looking vessels.

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Orders from the Air

By May 2, reconnaissance photographs showed heavy German naval traffic moving north. Intelligence officers concluded that senior figures were escaping. Air commanders issued a simple order: destroy all shipping in Lübeck Bay.

The next morning, British Typhoon squadrons prepared their aircraft. Rockets and cannons were loaded, with clear instructions that no ships were to be allowed through. Pilots believed they were stopping high-ranking fugitives from prolonging the war in Norway.

A Fatal Misunderstanding

At the same time, members of the Red Cross attempted to warn the British. Reports reached officers on the ground that the ships in Lübeck Bay carried thousands of camp prisoners. One message even reached a general as his tanks entered the city. He transmitted the warning, but somewhere in the chain of command it was lost.

On May 3, the Typhoons found their targets. From the air, the Cap Arcona appeared to be a large liner at anchor, with no steam rising from her funnels. Pilots lined up and launched rockets. Explosions tore into the vessel. Other squadrons followed, raking the ship with cannon fire. Nearby, the Thielbek and Deutschland were also hit.

Horror in the Water

Below decks, prisoners felt the explosions rip through the holds. Fires spread rapidly. Some tried to reach the upper decks, but many were locked below. Those who broke free found lifeboats destroyed by rocket strikes. Desperate men jumped into the freezing water.

Survivors later recalled the sea filled with bodies. Some prisoners attempted to swim toward rescue boats, only to be beaten back or shot at by guards. Others clung to debris, struggling against the cold. In the air, British pilots, ordered to prevent escape, strafed figures in the water, believing they were enemy personnel.

The Aftermath

By evening, the Cap Arcona rolled onto her side and sank in the shallow bay. Of more than 5,000 prisoners aboard, only about 350 lived. The Thielbek went down with over 2,700. Combined with the Deutschland and other incidents on shore, the death toll reached nearly 7,000 lives lost in a single day, one of the worst maritime disasters in history.

On land, British commandos arriving at Neustadt found grim scenes: bodies along the beaches, mass graves, and stunned survivors. Investigators later admitted that warnings had been received but never acted upon. No formal inquiry followed. For decades, remains continued to wash ashore, reminders of a disaster that unfolded in the war’s closing hours.