 The American carriers launched an airstrike shortly after dawn ; Zuikaku was struck by three bombs and one torpedo that started fires in both hangars , damaged one propeller shaft , and gave her a 29 @.@ 5 ° list to port . Fifteen minutes later , the fires were extinguished and the list was reduced to 6 ° by counterflooding . She was mostly ignored by the second wave of attacking aircraft , but was a focus of the third wave that hit her with six more torpedoes and four bombs . The bombs started fires in the hangars , the torpedoes caused major flooding that increased her list , and the order to abandon ship was issued before Zuikaku sank by the stern . Lost with the ship were 49 officers and 794 crewmen , but 47 officers and 815 crewmen were rescued by her escorting destroyers . 
