2 5 4 ▁tons ▁and ▁carried ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁ 8 0 7 ▁soldiers ▁and ▁ 2 0 6 ▁sail ors ▁making ▁a ▁full ▁an ▁estimated ▁minimum ▁complement ▁of ▁ 1 , ▁ 0 1 3 ▁people ▁on ▁board ▁the ▁ships ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁s inking . ▁The ▁number ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁consider ably ▁higher ▁though ▁due ▁to ▁inter ▁ship ▁trans fers ▁from ▁dam aged ▁or ▁lost ▁vessels . ▁ ▁The ▁ships ▁had ▁in cur red ▁heavy ▁damage ▁in ▁the ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁channel ▁where ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁squad ron ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁engaged . ▁They ▁had ▁also ▁cut ▁there ▁main ▁anch ors ▁loose ▁after ▁contact ▁with ▁English ▁fires hips ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Gra vel ines . ▁These ▁factors , ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁difficulty ▁these ▁Car ra cks ▁had ▁in ▁sail ing ▁to ▁wind ward ▁and ▁their ▁lack ▁of ▁heavy ▁equipment ▁for ▁north ▁Atlantic ▁sail ing , ▁left ▁them ▁the ▁most ▁vulner able ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁fleet . ▁ ▁Unable ▁to ▁round ▁Er ris ▁head ▁against ▁a ▁south w ester ly ▁g ale , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁driven ▁in ▁towards ▁the ▁coast ▁at ▁C air bre , ▁now ▁county ▁S lig o , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁September ▁the ▁ships ▁dropped ▁anchor ▁ 2 ▁miles ▁off sh ore ▁and ▁prepared ▁to ▁ride ▁out ▁the ▁storm . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁the ▁storm ▁w ors ened ▁and ▁changed ▁to ▁the ▁west - n orth west ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁ships ▁had ▁no ▁shelter