APA-Cape Town (South Africa) South Africa will set up an inquiry into Wednesday’s naval disaster that led to the death of three experienced officers following high waves which swept them away from a submarine deck into the sea near Cape Town, the South African Navy has announced.
The navy’s Rear Admiral Musawenkosi Nkomonde made the announcement during a media briefing at its Simons Town naval base in the Western Cape on Thursday.
Nkomonde said the victims of the tragedy were Master Warrant Officer William Malesela Mathipa, aged 48, who joined the Navy in 1997; Warrant Officer Class One Mokwapa Mojela, aged 42, a 16-year veteran of the Navy; and 32-year-old Lt. Commander Gillian Hector – the executive officer aboard the SAS Manthatisi submarine and the first woman in Africa to navigate such a vessel.
The deceased were among seven marines who were swept away during a naval exercise near the Slangkop Lighthouse in Kommetjie near Cape Town, the Ministry of Defence said.
The four survivors were taken to the hospital for medical attention, according to Nkomonde.
He said that all safety precautions – including the wearing of life jackets and safety harnesses – had been applied by all the navy personnel.
The inquiry would attempt to establish what went wrong on this fateful day, Nkomonde said.
NM/jn/APA