The navies of India and South Africa on Wednesday (September 4, 2024) signed an implementation agreement to enhance submarine rescue support cooperation that ensures the “safety of the South African Navy’s submarine crew in times of distress or accident.”
“Under this agreement, the Indian Navy will provide assistance by deploying its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) when required, further strengthening the collaborative ties between the two navies,” the Indian Navy said in a statement. The agreement was signed by Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy.
“The Implementing Agreement underscores a shared commitment to maritime safety and mutual support. This partnership reinforces the longstanding maritime relationship between India and South Africa,” it added.
In September 2023, three South African Navy personnel were killed after an incident at sea off the coast of Cape Town with SAS Manthatisi, one of the three HDW submarines from Germany in service. South Africa is among a handful of African countries with submarines.
The Indian Navy had procured two DSRVs from UK that were operationalised in 2018 in Mumbai and in Visakhapatnam the next year. The system can go to a maximum depth of 650 metres and can rescue 14 people in one go. It also has a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
During trials in 2018, the DSRV had dived up to 666 metres, setting a record for deepest submergence by a ‘manned’ vessel in Indian waters. The DSRV crew also carried out ROV operations at over 750m and Side Scan Sonar operations at over 650m depths.
The DSRV is designed for ease of transportation in case of any exigency. For this purpose, the entire system has been divided into 24 components which can be easily transported by road, sea or air. The system is attached to a mother ship INS Sabarmati of the Ship Building Corporation, or it can also be transported by heavy transport aircraft like IL-76 and C-17.
India and Singapore have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to exchange practices on submarine rescue. India has offered its submarine rescue capabilities to littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region. In April 2021, India had dispatched the two DSRVs to locate the missing Indonesian submarine KRI Nanggala but were called back mid-way after the Indonesian Navy declared that it had located debris of the missing submarine.
Published - September 04, 2024 10:43 pm IST
