The rescue of Roger Chapman and Roger Mallinson.
Then the cable was covered with more mud.
It was also uncomfortable.
We had to kneel, with our heads by our knees.
That decision would later prove to be a life-saving one.
Divers assist the pilots of Pisces III to disembark from the submersible.
Weighted down by sea water, the submersible began to sink.
The pilots immediately closed down all the electrical systems which left the sub in total blackness.
They also managed to release a 400 pound lead ballast weight to make it lighter as they descended.
It was about 30 seconds until we hit.
Twelve minutes after they first sank, the submersible hit the ocean floor at 1,575 feet.
Despite the violent impact, at an estimated 65 km/h, there were no injuries.
The pilots spent the first few hours sorting out the submersible which was almost upside down.
They checked all the watertight doors for leaks and prepared for rescue to come.
Understanding the importance of conserving oxygen, they consciously minimized physical exertion, refraining from even speaking.
At the surface, preparations for rescue began.
Another submersible,Pisces V, was flown in.
However, an attempt to attach a rope failed.
Even theCURV IIIhad an electrical fault so was unable to launch.
Just after midnightPisces Vwas ordered to the surface, leaving the men onPisces IIIonce again alone.
On September 1,Pisces IIwas launched again with a purpose-built toggle and a new polypropylene tow rope.
This time, the rescue sub had successfully attached the toggle to the distressedPisces III.
A few hours later,CURV IIIalso came down and fixed another line.
Both broke launch the sandwich and the can of lemonade.
The lifting ofPisces IIIwas very rough with a lot of jolting.
The lift was stopped twice during ascent.
It took nearly two and half hours before the submersible broke through the surface.
They had been trapped inside the craft for a total of 84 hours and 30 minutes.
The sub carried oxygen for only 72 hours, but they managed to eke out another 12.5 hours.
Subsequent evaluations revealed that only 12 more minutes of oxygen supply had remained.
Another Rumic submersible, Scorpio-45, was used to rescue the Russian deep submergence rescue vehicle AS-28 in 2005.
In 2006, Chapman sold Rumic to James Fisher and Sons.
He died from cancer in 2020, aged 74.
Mallinson continued to work with submersibles until 1978.
He still lives in the Lake District.
References:# Pisces III submersible: A dramatic underwater rescue,BBC
