The SAS Manthatisi submarine - SA navy vessel involved in Kommetjie incident
Before the three South African Navy crew members died on Wednesday while conducting a vertical transfer exercise aboard the SAS Manthatisi in tandem with a Lynx Helicopter, the sea-vessel recorded a somewhat decorated life span since it arrived in Simon’s Town, Western cape in 2006.
The German-manufactured submarine, purchased by the Department of Defence from Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), is a heroine class vessel, according to the Navy, and has a diesel-electric engine.
At just over 60 metres in length, the SAS Manthatisi was considered the “first true” submarine in South Africa with a combat management system (CMS) called the ‘ISUS 90’ that allowed it to operate advanced technological weapons systems at the time, according to IT Web.
The submarine’s CMS system used acoustic, electronic and optronic sensors to gather data and project a display for crew to use for navigational and combat purposes, according to information from a 2006 Armscor report.
The sub has communications infrastructure to speak with both national and international frequencies.
In 2007, the SAS Manthatisi took part in a naval exercise with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) just off Cape Point, Ports and Ships reported.
Six vessels from the US and four from SA took part in the exercise.
The participating crew members had to protect a surface target while detecting and attacking a submerged submarine.
The Navy’s reports at the time indicated that the SAS Manthatisi managed to penetrate defence mechanisms of seven of the participating vessels.
Later that year, the SAS Manthatisi was reportedly taken out of service and put in reserve, as the Navy wanted to only use two submarines, according to a report presented to Parliament by Vice Admiral M Lobese, Chief of the SA Navy and deputy chief Rear Admiral B.K. Mhlana.
“SAS Manthatisi was commissioned in 2006, to be decommissioned in 2038. Refit 1 was partially completed in 2014. The MLU that was due to start in 2022 has not yet commenced. Refit 2 is scheduled for 2030,” the report read.
Lobese and Mhlana briefed Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) on May 18.
Yesterday, 10 Navy crew went out to conduct an exercise that ended in tragedy, when seven crew members were washed overboard.
The Western Cape is also currently being rocked by a spring tide and inclement weather, with high speed winds and waves that are reported as high as six metres and above.
The vessel was just offshore of Kommetjie in Cape Town, a local surf sport known for its massive waves, when the incident happened.
A search and rescue party went to find the seven crew that got washed overboard.
A senior officer is reported to be in critical condition, while the rescue swimmer who went in after the seven crew members is also in hospital.
IOL