Around 14:40, the Detached Force was spotted again by several search aircraft from the carrier ; the Japanese ships did not immediately spot the Americans. They launched three Zeros for a combat air patrol at 14:55, three minutes before two of the searching Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers narrowly missed "Ryūjō" astern with four bombs. Two more Zeros reinforced the patrol shortly after 15:00, just in time to intercept two more searching Avengers, shooting down one. In the meantime, the carrier had launched an airstrike against the Detached Force in the early afternoon that consisted of 31 Douglas SBD Dauntlesses and 8 Avengers; the long range precluded fighter escort. They found the carrier shortly afterward and attacked. They hit "Ryūjō" three times with bombs and one torpedo; the torpedo hit flooded the starboard engine and boiler rooms. No aircraft from either "Ryūjō" or "Saratoga" were shot down in the attack.