Three South African Navy personnel have died after seven crew members of a submarine were swept off its deck by big sea waves as a helicopter attempted a “vertical transfer” of supplies, the Department of Defence said on Thursday.
The accident happened on Wednesday as an Air Force Lynx helicopter was attempting what is known as a “vertrep” – or vertical replenishment – of supplies to the SAS Manthatisi submarine on the ocean surface off the coast of Cape Town, the department said.
