The Spanish transatlantic steamship Antonio López was sunk on June 28, 1898, by the US Navy’s USS Yosemite, off the north coast of Puerto Rico, between Levittown and Dorado. The ship was on its usual route from Spain to Cuba and Puerto Rico, carrying cargo, mail, passengers, soldiers, and military equipment. The USS Yosemite attacked the Antonio López, causing it to run aground on the Angelina reef.
Two weeks later, the USS New Orleans completed the destruction by bombing and setting fire to the wreck, which sank completely two hours later. The Antonio López was a marvel of 19th-century naval engineering and its sinking is a significant historical event. According to historical texts, the ship had set sail from Cádiz on June 16, 1898, and was carrying a vital cargo of military equipment to reinforce Spanish troops in Puerto Rico.
The US Navy had likely received intelligence about the ship’s cargo, leading to the attack.