| Naval Service Diving Section | |
|---|---|
| Rannóg Tumadóireachta na Seirbháse Cabhlaigh | |
| Active | 1964–present |
| Country |  Ireland |
| Branch |  Irish Naval Service |
| Type | Military diving |
| Role | Maritime EOD Maritime search and rescue Underwater engineering Underwater search and recovery |
| Part of |  Defence Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Haulbowline Naval Base,County Cork, Ireland |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | NSDS |
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TheNaval Service Diving Section (NSDS) (Irish:Rannóg Tumadóireachta na Seirbháse Cabhlaigh) is a specialist unit of theIrish Naval Service, a branch of theDefence Forces, the military of Ireland. The Naval Service Diving Section specialises inunderwater diving tasks for the Naval Service, and since its formation in the early 1960s has become Ireland's most advanced diving team, aiding other state agencies in various specialist roles.[1]
The main roles of the NSDS are:-
As of 2016, the NSDS was reportedly developing aMine Counter Measures capability to protect sea lanes.[3]
The Diving Section was officially established in 1964 whenCommodore Joe Deasy (then a lieutenant) brought back skills he learned from theBritish Royal Navy to the Irish Naval Service. During the mid-1980s, the diver training course was set up atHaulbowline Naval Base,Cork Harbour, and since then over 1,400 Naval Service men and women have applied to join the elite unit, with just 150 succeeding (a pass rate of just 9.3%), all men.[4] Each year around 50 Naval Service personnel apply to join the unit, roughly 15 of these are selected for the 11-week Naval Diving Course and on average just 5 complete it.[4] The course is conducted during the winter months to prepare divers for the harshest conditions. Each diver needs to undertake 17 separate training courses to stay current on the section's equipment.[3]
The NSDS operates a 24-hour on-call capability, ready to respond rapidly to any tasking around the state.[3]
The NSDS is the onlyInternational Diving Schools Association (IDSA) accredited diving school in Ireland.[3]
The Naval Service Diving Section provides specialised training and certification for the special operations unit of the Irish Defence Forces, responsible for the provision of air andcombat diving technique training for theArmy Ranger Wing (ARW) Combat Diving Section.[5]
The NSDS conducts EOD and explosive ordnance reconnaissance (EOR) training alongside diving units of theRoyal Navy andRoyal Canadian Navy.[3]
In 1973, the NSDS was involved in its first high-profile operation during the interception of theClaudia, a vessel importing arms for theProvisional IRA.[6]
In 1979, the section was tasked to assist during theWhiddy Island disaster, in which the oil tankerBetelgeuse exploded inBantry Bay claiming the lives of 50 people.[6]
In 1985, they were tasked with the search and recovery operation ofAir India Flight 182, which came down off the south-west Irish coast in the deadliest terrorist bombing in aviation history, resulting in the deaths of 329 people.[7] Two of the divers involved in that operation were awardedDistinguished Service Medals (DSM).[6]
NSDS teams have been involved in "Operation PONTUS" from 2015 onward, aboard Irish Naval Service vessels in theMediterranean Sea as part of theEuropean Union's humanitarian response to theEuropean migrant crisis.[3]
Vice AdmiralMark Mellett,chief of staff (2015-2021) of the Irish Defence Forces, is a former member of the NSDS.[8]
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