Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his condolences to the families of the sailors of the submarine that sank near the island of Bali. There is practically no hope of finding them alive, as oxygen supplies ran out on the night from Friday to Saturday. There were 53 people on board.
The submarine went missing on Wednesday and wreckage was found in a rescue operation on Saturday. Aid was sent from the United States, India and Malaysia during a military exercise at sea, north of Bali. Shortly after their start, the army lost contact with the submarine. The finding of the wreckage was reported to the Indonesian Navy. This means that the submarine could have disintegrated after falling to a depth of 850 meters. The President of Indonesia reports:
“The Army and Navy have changed the status of the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine from“ missing ”to“ sunken ”. All Indonesians express our deep sorrow over the tragedy to the families of the crew. “
The search operation involved hundreds of military personnel and about 20 ships. Several items were found: a piece of a torpedo launcher, a container of lubricant for a periscope, a prayer rug. A spokesman for the Navy believes that the wreckage found “could not have come from a submarine, except in cases of strong pressure or damage to the torpedo launch system.” He also says that the investigation is ongoing, but the large-scale rescue operation is “very dangerous and difficult”:
“We do not know the position of the victims, since we have not yet found them. But once these objects are found, you can draw your own conclusions. “
Military experts believe that a submarine capable of swimming at a depth of 500 meters could sink at a depth of 700 meters below sea level. An oil spill discovered on Thursday could indicate a fuel leak and damage to the vessel. A submarine of this type is capable of withstanding pressure at a depth of 400 meters. Deeper, where the water pressure is higher, there is a risk of bursting the housing
It remains unclear why the crew on the submarine was 53, although it usually carries 40 people.
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