Tragic Losses: South African Navy mourns first female submarine navigator and crew members
Lieutenant Commander Gillian Elizabeth Hector, the first female officer on the African continent to navigate a submarine, was among three submariners who died when a large wave struck the SAS Manthatisi off the coast of Cape Town during a resupply operation. The submarine was conducting a "vertical replenishment" involving a helicopter when the wave hit, sweeping crew members off the deck. Despite rescue efforts, three naval personnel died, and one senior official is in critical condition. Cape Town has been experiencing rough seas due to a "spring tide."