Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on May 3rd?

The sinking of the SS Cap Arcona and the Thielbek - Believing they were transporting troops, the British Royal Air Force mistakenly attacks Luebeck harbor, a major port in Northern Germany, where the SS Cap Arcona, an ocean liner carrying some 8,000 concentration camp prisoners and the freighter Thielbek were. Both ships were hit by bombs, caught fire, and capsized. Only about 600 prisoners survived. The attack, is considered one of the largest maritime disasters of World War II.

Margaret Thatcher, a member of the Conservative Party is elected prime minister of Britain, becoming the first woman in Europe to hold that post. Thatcher went on to serve three terms as Prime Minister and held the office consecutively for eleven and a half years, becoming the longest continuously serving British premier since 1827 More

A wildfire fueled by dry conditions and high winds forces the evacuation of Fort McMurray, Alberta, the capital of Canada's tar sand industry—and the surrounding area; prompting the evacuation of more than 88,000 residents, destroying 1600 structures, shutting down the over a million barrels per day of oil production and causing billions of dollars in losses. More