The effort to prevent German troops from reaching Crete by sea, and subsequently the partial evacuation of Allied land forces after their defeat by German paratroops in the Battle of Crete during May 1941, cost the Allied navies a number of ships. Attacks by German planes, mainly Junkers Ju 87s and Ju 88s, sank eight British warships: two light cruisers ( and ) and six destroyers (, , , , and ). Seven other ships were damaged, including the battleships and and the light cruiser . Nearly 2,000 British sailors died.