South African Submariners washed off deck of submarine.

[OneHungLow]

Huge seas have been pummeling the Cape Coast for the last 4 days.

Three SA Navy personnel died on Wednesday after a "huge wave" hit a submarine in Kommetjie.

Five others were saved in a subsequent rescue operation.

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said an inquest docket was opened after the "naval incident’”.

Pojie said that preliminary reports suggest that two men were washed out to sea after the wave hit during what appeared to be an exercise.

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafri ... e-20230920

At 2:47pm this afternoon, NSRI Station 26 in Kommetjie received reports of SA Navy submariners experiencing difficulties offshore the coast of Kommetjie, near the Slangkop Lighthouse. Two sailors have passed away, while two others have reportedly been transported to a hospital.

Preliminary reports indicated that the submariners had been washed off the deck of the submarine SAS MANTHISI, but this has yet to be confirmed.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon reports that at 2:47pm, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 26 in Kommetjie received reports of sailors experiencing difficulties offshore of the coast of Kommetjie, near the Slangkop Lighthouse.

According to Lambinon, the alert prompted a response from NSRI Kommetjie, NSRI Simon’s Town, NSRI Table Bay, NSRI Bakoven, the City of Cape Town Water Rescue Network, emergency services, the Western Cape EMS Rescue Squad, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, water policing, dive services, navy command and the South African Air Force.

Upon arriving at the scene, the rescue teams discovered seven navy mariners in distress. Two of the sailors had already succumbed to their injuries, while another two were transported to a nearby hospital.

The remaining four sailors reportedly sustained minimal injuries and were provided with immediate medical attention.

The collaborative efforts of the South African Air Force, the NSRI sea rescue and EMS paramedics are actively involved in the ongoing search and rescue mission.

‘This is an ongoing operation,’ said Lambinon.

As of now, details surrounding the circumstances leading to the incident are limited, and an investigation will likely follow to ascertain the causes and contributing factors.

This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

[Woody]

https://www.capetownetc.com/news/africa ... rs-killed/

[Boac]

A tragic ?accident? I am a little confused by the Woody link - 3 killed ?and? "Lieutenant Gillian Malouw"? Was it in fact 4 or was she a Lt Cdr with a different name? Can anyone translate?

"As confirmed by the SANDF, the names of the submariners who died are Lieutenant Commander Gillian Elizabeth Hector (Executive Officer), Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa (Coxswain) and Warrant Officer Class One Mmokwapa Lucas Mojela (Coxswain under training)."

[OneHungLow]

A tragic ?accident? I am a little confused by the Woody link - 3 killed ?and? "Lieutenant Gillian Malouw"? Was it in fact 4 or was she a Lt Cdr with a different name? Can anyone translate?

"As confirmed by the SANDF, the names of the submariners who died are Lieutenant Commander Gillian Elizabeth Hector (Executive Officer), Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa (Coxswain) and Warrant Officer Class One Mmokwapa Lucas Mojela (Coxswain under training)."

I was led to believe that the total number of people involved in this accident was 8 and that 3 people have died as a result, with one senor officer badly injured, thus leaving 5 alive, one of whom is seriously injured, with the rest unscathed, or lightly injured (but in hospital according to the account below... confused of Essex!). One of the three fatalities was the lady navigator.

Three South African navy personnel have died and a senior officer is fighting for life after a submarine crew was swept off deck by large waves near Cape Town.

Seven crew members on the SAS Manthatisi were swept off the vessel’s deck as a military helicopter was attempting to drop supplies down to the submarine on the ocean surface on Wednesday.

South Africa’s Department of Defence said that all crew members were rescued, but three were pronounced dead.

A crew member who was sent from the Air Force Lynx helicopter to help the submarine crew was also rescued and is in hospital alongside the four surviving submariners.

The National Sea Rescue Institute and other emergency services were called in to help with the rescue, the Department of Defence said.

There will be an inquiry into the failed operation and the resulting deaths, the department added.

The South African National Defence Force, which comprises all the armed forces, said a female officer with the rank of lieutenant commander was among the three who died.


Cape Town and other areas on South Africa‘s south coast have been hit by extremely rough seas since last weekend, caused by a phenomenon known as “spring tide”.

South African armed forces analyst Dean Wingrin told the defenceWeb website that the submarine was moving to the Cape Town waterfront for a three-day navy exhibition starting on Saturday.

The navy has planned the exhibition to mark South Africa‘s Heritage Day national holiday on Sunday.

The SAS Manthatisi is one of three German-built Type 209/1400 Heroine-class submarines in the South African navy fleet and had returned to the water earlier this year after undergoing maintenance work.

I have asked for specific details from a friend who is currently a navy diver in the SANDF, based in Simonstown. Perhaps he can shed some light on the numbers and the root cause of this tragedy.

The implication being that one senor officer is dead, and another seriously injured. Another black day for the South African Navy, and no, that was not intended as a slur.

[G-CPTN]

Was the actions of the helicopter responsible for the incident due to downwash?

Or was it the 'vertical transfer' that drew the crew out on deck during heavy seas?

[Woody]

The SANDF has reported that the incident transpired due to high waves that swept seven crew members out to sea during a vertical transfer operation.

[OneHungLow]

A bad week generally for the SANDF...

Additionally, four soldiers were killed and another two were critically injured Wednesday in a separate road incident near the South African city of Upington. The Department of Defence said in a statement via Facebook that a SAMIL 50 army truck was towing another SAMIL 50 when the truck that was being towed had a tire burst, resulting in both vehicles being rolled. The soldiers were ejected and a vehicle landed on top of them

https://people.com/3-killed-1-officer-f ... ve-7973173

[FD2]

A very sad accident OHL. We always did 'vertical' transfers from the conning tower/fin/sail unless there was a stretcher involved, which couldn't be man handled up there.

This happened off the Azores when a 'goffer' caught the deck party, crewman and casualty in the stretcher and took the latter two overboard. Excellent response from the Captain or OOW to turn the stern and that huge propeller away from them. 824 Squadron were given a precise time and location and up popped the USN SSN/SSBN which was on an active patrol. All was well and one of Ark's junior doctors (Surgeon Lt Philip Jones) was on hand as they flew the man ashore to Lajes. If memory is right it was actually a 'medevac' as the man had peritonitis. P1 was squadron boss 'Bushy' Shrubb, observer Bob Fewings and damp crewman was excellent. Sadly I think it was Chief King but it was back in 1976 and the memory isn't so good.

[CharlieOneSix]

I'd forgotten how bad throat mikes were back then. A glimmer of memory suggests that they were originally meant for tank crews.

[FD2]

Like someone gargling but we were told the conventional mikes picked up too much ambient noise and the throat mikes were 'better'. I'm not sure that was correct, even back then, so maybe it was a cheap job lot clearance by the Army!

[OneHungLow]

A very sad accident OHL. We always did 'vertical' transfers from the conning tower/fin/sail unless there was a stretcher involved, which couldn't be man handled up there.

That very interesting video gives some idea of how exposed the desk of a submarine is and how vulnerable crew member are there , even in a relatively moderate swell.

[OneHungLow]

Hundreds of mourners gathered at the St John The Evangelist Catholic Church in Fish Hoek, Cape Town, on Saturday to bid a final farewell to the country's first female officer to qualify as a submariner, Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector. She died at sea more than a week ago.

Navy band members marched up and down the road outside the church and played hymns before a white hearse pulled up with the coffin.

Hector was one of a crew of eight members on the SAS Manthatisi carrying out a routine training exercise in Kommetjie when massive waves swept them off the submarine.

Hector, 33, Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa, 48, and Warrant Officer Class One Mmokwapa Lucas Mojela, 43, died at sea. The others were taken to a nearby hospital and have since been discharged.

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafri ... r-20230930