En route, she escorted task force ships that had left late, on their way to Ascension Island, arriving on 3 May and sailing on the morning of the 7 May.

A group of three aircraft, either Skyhawks or IAI Daggers,[7] crossed the Falklands Sound from the west and then turned to their left to attack from the north east.

[8] The Sea Cat anti-aircraft missile system failed to lock onto the attackers, who also outmanoeuvred the 4.5" gun by carrying out their run out of its arc of fire.

[8] Still in full control of her engines and steering, but virtually defenceless, Ardent was told to head north, toward Port San Carlos.

Some of the remaining bombs exploded in the water nearby, battering the ship and causing minor flooding in the forward auxiliary machine room.

Ardent continued to burn throughout the night, accompanied by the occasional explosion, until she sank at 6:30 the next day, with only her skewed radar antenna on the foremast remaining above the water.

[11] The last man to leave was her captain, Commander Alan West, who was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and served as First Sea Lord from 2002–2006.