RFA Operations since 1905

1968 The Loss of INS Dakar

INS Dakar (77-?) was a modified British T class submarine previously HMS Totem (P352) of the Royal Navy. Built at H.M. Dockyard, Devonport, she was launched on 28 September 1943 and served in the Royal Navy until she was purchased by Israel, along with two of her T-class sisters, in 1965. She was commissioned into the Israeli Navy on 10 November 1967 as Dakar (???), ("Swordfish" in Hebrew), under the command of Major Ya'acov Ra'anan.

Late in 1967, after two successful months of trials, Dakar returned to Portsmouth, and eventually sailed for Israel on 9 January 1968.

At 0610 on 24 January Dakar transmitted her position, 34.16°N 26.26°E, just east of Crete. Over the next 18 hours she transmitted three control transmissions, which did not include her position, the last at 0002 25 January1968. No further messages were received.

An international search and rescue operation began, including units from Israel, Great Britain, the United States, Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.

However, INS Dakar was lost at sea and never reached Haifa. Despite extensive searches over the course of three decades, her wreckage was not found until 1999.

Between 27 to 31 January 1968 the following RFA was engaged in supporting other naval units and searching for the lost submarine: -

RFA Wave Baron