Cape Palos
In March 1938, the Nationalist cruiser "Baleares"—along with fellow rebel cruisers and —met the Republican cruisers and , accompanied by five destroyers, off Cartagena in the Battle of Cape Palos. At around 02:15 on 6 March, the Nationalist and Republican cruisers engaged in an ineffective gunnery duel. During the battle, Republican destroyers , , and all fired their torpedoes. Two or three of "Lepanto"′s torpedoes hit "Baleares", detonating her forward magazine and sinking her. Out of her crew of 1,206, she suffered 765 seamen killed or missing, among them rebel Vice-Admiral Manuel Vierna Belando, commander of the cruiser division.