Originally Posted by
unmanned_droid
Those guys mustn't need ballast given their massive balls of steel.
Parachuting in bad weather and rough seas in to the middle of the ocean, to dive to the bottom and effect a rescue of people trapped in a submarine with only the kit they can carry. Insane and awesome.
I'm not sure that's the idea. Admittedly when I went flying on a C130 out of Gib and the SPAG guys (and gals) were jumping out they were just practising the parachuting bit but my impression was that their aim was to provide medical assistance and succour to a submarine crew that had made it to the surface under their 'own steam'. They jump with boats and kit to enable 'first aid' support until rescue vessels arrive.
The magnitude of difficulty of leaping into the oggin with sufficient accuracy to dive down and find a submarine is mind boggling. Dropping to where the crew has bobbed up to surface must be hard enough.
Fingers crossed for a result, and thoughts go to the crew and their families.