Widower of SA Navy commander killed in submarine accident pursues culpable homicide case

Cape Town
Carlo Petersen

Carlo Petersen

8 October 2025 | 13:20

Hector recently obtained a classified report into the incident which suggests that both the SA Navy and the captain on duty were guilty of possible negligence.

Widower of SA Navy commander killed in submarine accident pursues culpable homicide case

Navy Commander Romero Hector and his wife, Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector. Picture: Supplied.

The husband of a SA Navy commander who died tragically after being swept off a submarine in stormy sea conditions off the coast of Kommetjie will be lodging a civil suit against the SA Navy and the Department of Defence within the next two weeks.
The civil case follows the death of his wife, Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector and two other naval officers on the SAS Manthatisi submarine in September 2023.
Hector's widower, Commander Romero Hector, said he has enough evidence for a successful case after being granted access to a classified report which shows the SA Navy was guilty of negligence.
Hector, who is still a Navy officer, obtained access to the classified report after a two-year legal battle.
"My plight from the start has always been... This was not an accident... This could have been prevented and the people responsible to be held accountable," he said.
Hector said the report shows the SAS Manthatisi was never authorised to do the naval exercise, which led to his wife's death.
"So the mere fact that he has conducted this operation without having authority to conduct the operation... We want to know where did you get it. Who was the people who told you to go ahead and do this because we have it in black and white that you may only sail for post-maintenance trials?"
Romero is also assisting the Hawks with a culpable homicide case related to the incident.
He said it's important that the SA Navy be held accountable for the incident, adding the investigation is the only way to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
"My focus is still to support The Hawks 100% so that the inquest and the culpable homicide case can be given as much attention as it can so that people can be held accountable," Romero said.
The SA Navy has indicated it will cooperate with any legal processes related to the incident and has since handed The Hawks a copy of the report.
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