Three South African navy personnel have died, and a senior officer is in critical condition after seven crew members of a submarine were swept off deck.

The incident occurred while attempting what’s known as a vertical replenishment of supplies (where a helicopter delivers supplies) to the SAS Manthatisi. The submarine was on the ocean surface, off the coast of Cape Town, according to APNews (20 September 2023).

The manoeuvre was immediately cancelled, and efforts were launched to recover the missing personnel. A surface swimmer was dispatched from the helicopter to assist with the rescue. Unfortunately, the recovery operation was negatively affected by rough sea conditions, says Naval News.

South Africa’s first female submarine navigator, Lt Cdr Gillian Malouw, was among the three officers who died at sea, reports the BBC.

Lt Malouw, who was 32, joined the navy in 2010, qualified as a combat officer in 2018 and became a navigator in 2019.

Lt Cdr Malouw has been described as the first female navigator in Africa and one of the few women in that role in the world. In an interview with Cape Talk radio station in 2019, Lt Malouw said she developed a passion for the sea as a young girl.

“The world is filled with naysayers and negativity but no-one can take away what you’ve learnt and no-one can take away your dreams,” she said.

“If you truly want something, do everything in your power to make it happen,” she told South African website News24.

Lt Cdr Malouw died alongside Master Warrant Officer William Masela Mathipa and Warrant Officer Mmokwapa Lucas Mojela.

The accident happened as Cape Town and other areas on South Africa’s south coast were hit by extremely rough seas.

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.

Main image courtesy of Naval News: photo of the VERTREP circulating on the social media.

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