En la noche del 20 de Agosto de 1970, el submairno disel electrico Sudafricano Maria van Riebeeck (primer submarino de Sud Africa) estaba retornando al puerto frances de Toulon sobre la superficie. El mar estaba calmo y la visibilidad buena.

Maria van Riebeeck, un submarino francés clase Daphne, habia sido construído a principios de 1969 y comisionado un mes antes. El Galateé estaba dejando Toulon esa misma tarde, también en la superficie.

A submarine on the surface is very difficult to detect at night, especially from another submarine. Nevertheless Maria van Riebeeck detected Galateé both on radar and visually. Galateé was off Maria van Riebeeck's port bow, and was crossing ahead of her from left to right. Therefore, the Officer on Watch aboard Maria van Riebeeck determined that she was the stand-on vessel, and therefore was required to maintain both course and speed unless she needed to avoid a collision.

Galateé crossed safely ahead of Maria van Riebeeck, then inexplicably turned sharply to starboard, towards Maria van Riebeeck.

Maria van Riebeeck attempted to avoid the collision by turning to starboard, but she was only able to change the angle at which she struck Galateé. Maria van Riebeeck's bow struck Galateé at an angle on the port quarter, in the vicinity of the aft accomodation space and after torpedo room. Maria van Riebeeck's bow scraped along the side of Galateé's hull, finally striking Galateé's port shaft. Galateé's port shaft was pulled loose, allowing water to enter the after spaces through the shaft seal. Galateé's hull was dented, but not breached by the collision, and the only flooding into the submarine was from the ruptured shaft seal.

Emergency procedures were immediately put into place aboard both vessels.

Unfortunately, the emergency drills aboard Galateé were not completely carried out, and the diesel engines were not shut down, even though all the hatches and valves were closed. The diesel engines quickly sucked the air out of Galateé's hull (dropping the pressure dramatically) and causing her crew to pass out. (Editor's note - a similar set of circumstances killed the entire crew of the Chinese submarine No. 361 in April 2003.) Six men in the after compartments fell into the water that was flooding into the submarine and drowned. When the air finally ran out inside Galateé's hull, the diesel engines stopped.

Fortunately, the voice tube between the conning tower and control room had been left open, and fresh air began to re-enter Galateé, reviving her officers and crew. Galateé's captain, believing his submarine had been mortally damaged, ran Galateé aground to prevent her from sinking.

It is conceivable that, had the Maria van Riebeeck not manuevered and slowed down, she might have struck Galateé at close to a 90 º angle. She might have even caused Galateé to break in two, which would have led to a very great loss of life.

Six men lost.

El Galatee semihundido	Perfil del Maria Von Riebeeck