According to one source, at around 18:00, while off Crete, an Italian bomber attacked "Nestor", killing four sailors and seriously damaging the destroyer's engine rooms. Other sources assert the attack was carried out by Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers from Sturzkampfgeschwader 3. began to tow "Nestor", but by 05:30 on 16 June, the quantity of water taken on by the Australian ship meant that recovery was no longer practical. The ship's company transferred to "Javelin", and "Nestor" was scuttled with depth charges. "Nestor" was the only major RAN ship to never visit Australia.