"Königsberg" then retreated into the Rufiji River to repair her engines. Before the repairs could be completed, British cruisers located "Königsberg", and, unable to steam into the river to destroy her, set up a blockade. After several attempts to sink the ship during the Battle of Rufiji Delta, the British sent two monitors, and , to destroy the German cruiser. On 11 July 1915, the two monitors got close enough to severely damage "Königsberg", forcing her crew to scuttle the ship. The surviving crew salvaged all ten of her main guns and joined Lieutenant Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck's guerrilla campaign in East Africa. "Königsberg" was partially broken up in 1963–1965 for scrap, and the remains sank into the riverbed.