In the closing weeks of World War II in Europe, the Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted an airstrike on several prison ships in Lübeck Bay, Germany. The ships involved were the Cap Arcona, Thielbek, and Deutschland, which were filled with thousands of prisoners, including Holocaust survivors and Allied POWs. The RAF misidentified these vessels as German warships due to a lack of updated intelligence and the chaotic nature of the war's final days. On May 3, RAF aircraft bombed and ultimately sank these ships, leading to a catastrophic loss of life. Estimates suggest that between 5,000 to 7,000 prisoners were aboard when the attack occurred, and very few survived the sinking and the subsequent drowning.The ships were previously used by the Nazis to hold prisoners, and their sinking created a tragic moment amidst the shifting tide of war. While the RAF aimed to weaken German military capabilities, the loss of innocent lives on these ships would later fuel debates about the moral implications of military decisions in wartime. The incident was part of a broader context of desperation for control and closure as Nazi Germany was collapsing. The sinking highlighted the confusion and tragic errors that can occur in wartime, especially during the chaotic final weeks of a prolonged conflict.