PLA submariners defy death in the depths(2)

Submarine 372 fires a missile during an exercise. GAO YI/CHINA DAILY

Quick response

The submarine's officers and sailors were well-trained and not overcome by panic during the emergency, Captain Yi Hui of Submarine 372 said.

Chen Zujun, the electrical equipment chief, was on duty in the main engine cabin with two of his subordinates, Mao Xuegang and Zhu Zhaowei. After hearing a bang, the three crewmen found seawater flooding the cabin. Dense fog also blurred their vision.

Chen immediately ordered crew members to close hatches and stem the leak. He shut down the main engine and other electrical apparatus in the section while Mao and Zhu struggled to fix the broken pipes.

"We couldn't hear the instructions from the commander because it was very loud in the cabin, so we didn't waste time waiting for orders but carried out the measures that we had practiced numerous times," Chen said. "The procedures are in our blood."

Lian Shicai, Submarine 372's chief petty officer, said the training and exercises have implanted quick responses in the crew.

"We are trained to be fast in handling fires, leaks and other contingencies, and we know clearly what to do when such hazards arise," he said.

The flotilla has also been encouraging crew members to repair malfunctioning or broken parts on their own and has given awards to those who succeed, substantially enhancing submariners' knowledge and capabilities, said the vessel's power chief, Xie Baoshu.

"From the start of each year, we would make a comprehensive and systematic plan for the training and drills for the whole year. Experts from the submarine academy and related areas are invited to give lectures to the submariners or help us address problems," Yi said.

"Every crew member, including the captain and political commissar, must attend and pass theoretical and practical tests for their posts."

The flotilla also holds competitions on skills and emergency response on a regular basis, urging heads of each submarine to keep strengthening crews' combat readiness, he said.

Mission priority

After Submarine 372 surfaced following its emergency, senior officers on board decided not to report the incident to the South Sea Fleet headquarters until the vessel completed its mission.

"At first, I was not sure whether the boat and its crew could carry on the mission because the vessel had been flooded by seawater. A lot of equipment had malfunctioned and all the men were exhausted after nearly three sleepless days of repair," Yi said.

"But the officers and sailors insisted on completing the patrol while the equipment was gradually being restored, giving us more confidence to carry out the mission."

Wang also found the submariners facing another major challenge after the emergency－dealing with foreign military ships and aircraft.

Submarine 372 was driven by one electric motor because its main engine was being repaired. It continued to maneuver underwater and took the opportunity to forge its combat capability, he said.

"The rivals were coming for us but our sailors didn't flinch ... I was thinking that, since they (foreign navies) were 'generous enough to give us a combat training opportunity for free, we shouldn't waste it," Wang said.

The submarine successfully broke through several rounds of encirclement and pursuits by foreign navies and continued its patrol in the next days before returning to base.