Not being very knowledgeable of naval warfare, I fail to understand what useful purpose submarines serve in modern times. Are there not a whole arsenal of sattelites capable of detecting any activity in the waters? Do we still really need subs? If the further construction of such underwater vessels is still thought to be necessary, then why could they not be designed with a small capsule with sufficient room to carry the crew to safety. They would not need to be built with comfort in mind, but simply as a lifeboat escape device for however many crewmembers are aboard. This device could possibly be mounted behind the conning tower(correct term?)and be accessed through a hatch connecting it to the vessel. When it became neccessary to 'abandon ship' the crew could be loaded into this device which would then make a controlled ascent to safety. During normal operation they could be used as extra sapce for off duty crew activities. Maybe mount two of these things on the vessel. They wouldn't need to be any bigger than a small bus. I hope that the rescue efforts are successful, but with each new news report it seems to be more hopeless....My thoughts go with the crew and their loved ones.