This just in.
R/Jay
Respectfully,
Jay K. Jeffries
Andros Is.,
It
is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without
accepting it.
- Aristotle
Two
Trapped Underwater In Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle
Update 2236 04 Dec: The men have been
rescued.
___________________________________________
Breaking
news from
THE Australian navy is standing by to help rescue two people aboard a
civilian submarine rescue craft stranded on the ocean floor off the West
Australian coast.
An Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle (ASRV) ran into difficulty about
midnight when the winching system failed as it was being recovered during
certification trials.
The Australian Defence Force says the two personnel aboard the vessel, called
the Remora, were in no danger.
The Remora, operated by the civilian diving contractor Caldive, was lowered, in
accordance with safety procedures, to the sea bed and was currently sitting in
130 metres of water.
The two people aboard remain connected to the mother ship, Motor Vessel
Seahorse Standard, by a secondary cable which gives them power and allows them
to communicate with the vessel.
It may be able to be used for lifting the Remora in an emergency.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) says the frigate HMAS ANZAC, navy clearance
divers and medical personnel were standing by to help Caldive if needed.
"The current weather conditions preclude a controlled recovery of the ASRV
at this time, but an emergency option remains available if required," ADF
said in a statement.
Caldive is currently developing a rescue plan with help from the Royal
Australian Navy...
...But it was taking part in a navy submarine escape exercise in the Western
Australian exercise areas at the time of the incident.
Here's a picture of the Remora:
Caldive appears to be a subsidiary of Helix. For now, it looks like the
situation is well in hand.
Staying at PD...
Update 2210 04 Dec: It looks like the Remora and M/V Seahorse Standard are
frequently used for sea trials and submarine rescue exercises. There are many
pictures of the Remora here
and here,
one of which shows her on her support ship.