No punishments are to be issued over the presumed death of three submariners who went missing at sea after falling overboard, the navy said on Monday.
On Dec. 21 last year, three crew members of the Hai Hu (海虎, Sea Tiger) submarine were swept out to sea near Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球) by a rogue wave as they were attempting to retrieve a rescue buoy that had become detached, the navy said at the time.
Four sailors were initially dispatched, all of whom wore life jackets and were tethered to the deck by a safety harness.
Photo: Chen Yun, Taipei Times
Three were swept out to sea by a rogue wave, one of whom was saved by the safety harness.
Poor weather conditions likely contributed to the failing of the deformed safety buckles tethering the other two to the safety line, the navy said.
Six members of the vessel’s rescue team were then sent to retrieve the missing sailors and buoy, one of whom also went missing after a rogue wave.
The three were not discovered after an expanded search-and-rescue mission.
On Monday, the Navy Command Headquarters announced that no punishments would be issued over the incident, as no human error was involved.
The accident was caused by a combination of environmental factors and equipment failings, it said.
Regarding concerns that the crew were given an unreasonable order to retrieve the buoy in poor conditions, an investigation determined that it was a reasonable decision to be made at the time, it added.
Additional reporting by CNA
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