CAPE TOWN – Questions remain over a navy exercise that ended in tragedy off the coast of Kommetjie, claiming three lives.
SA Navy submarine SAS Manthatisi was en route to Cape Town while conducting a vertical transfer on Wednesday.
The exercise, which involved an SA Air Force Maritime Lynx helicopter, saw high waves sweep seven crew members out to sea.
In a statement, the navy said the recovery operation was negatively affected by rough sea conditions and many are questioning why the exercise went ahead in the first place.
Defence analyst, Helmoed Heitman, said these types of military drills sometimes had to be done in the most extreme weather conditions.
“You have to because in the real world, you have to sometimes do things in very rough seas. If you haven’t practiced how to do it and you don’t know how to do it, then you’re definitely going to lose people. In any military game, any military service is a dangerous place to be in the first place.”
The SA Navy said an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident would be convened in due course.