Indian Navy to Rescue South African Navy Submarine Crew in Distress

The Indian Navy has signed an agreement with the South African Navy to rescue its Submarine personnel who have met an accident or are in distress in the deep sea. The Union Ministry of Defence gave this information on 4 September 2024. This agreement between the two Navies will further strengthen the longstanding maritime relationship between India and South Africa.

Who signed the Implementing Agreement? 

The agreement, officially called the Implementing Agreement, was signed by the Indian Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, and the Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese.

What is the Agreement?

Under the Implementing Agreement, the Indian Navy will provide rescue assistance to the South African Navy in case its submarine meets an accident or is in distress. The Indian Navy 

In such cases, it will use its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) to rescue the South African Submarine personnel.

South Africa is one of the few African countries with submarines in its Navy.

In September 2023, three South African naval personnel lost their lives onboard the SAS Manthatisi submarine due to an accident. South Africa operates three German-made HDW submarines.

What is a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV)?

The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) is used to rescue sunken submarine personnel. The DSRV is towed to the rescue site by a mother ship. 

The DSRV dives at the spot where the submarine has sunk and then mates with it through a thatch. This creates a corridor for the crew of the sunken submarine to enter the DSRV.

The DSRV surface and the rescued crews are transferred to a ship for further assistance.

DSRV with the Indian Navy 

• The Indian Navy operates two DSRVs bought from the United Kingdom. The first DSRV was inducted into the Indian Navy in 2018 in Mumbai, and the second in 2019 in Visakhapatnam.
• The Indian Navy’s DSRV is compatible with submarines made by Western countries and all Indian-made submarines.
• The Indian DSRV can dive up to 650 meters deep in water and rescue up to 16 people at a time. 
• The Indian DSRV can stay submerged in water for up to 10 hours.