On this day in 1918, while sailing to meet the rest of the Austro-Hungarian fleet gathered for the attempt to break the Otranto Barrage, a dreadnought battleship Szent István (sister of Viribus Unitis) was spotted and engaged by two Italian motor torpedo boats. Two torpedoes from MAS 15 and possibly one from MAS 21 hit the battleship, which capsized and sunk.

This ended the raid on the Barrage and, in turn, motivated Italy to further develop light forces development.

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