The Long Journey Of The Search For The KRI Nanggala-402 Submarine, Hoping For A Miracle

Documentation A number of TNI-AL soldiers from the crew of the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine were on the hull of the ship (Photo: M Risyal Hidayat/Antara)

JAKARTA - The process of searching for the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine which was declared missing boxes in northern Bali waters is still ongoing. Various methods have been used, although, they did not get results.

At the beginning of the search, the use of active sonar was immediately carried out. The last point of KRI Naggala-402 before contact was lost was traced.

The Indonesian Navy's Head of Police, First Laksmana Julius Widjojono, said there had been no results from this search method. Thus, a search pattern through the air was carried out. An oil spill was seen at the location of KRI Nanggala-402 diving.

"The oil spill around the submerged area, the possibility of fuel tank damage (cracking) due to seawater pressure or the position signal from KRI NGL-402," said First Laksmana Julius Widjojono.

In fact, in an effort to find the existence of KRI Nanggala-402, various other methods were continued. The aim is to speed up and increase the possibility of the submarine is found.

TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said all Indonesian Navy soldiers were deployed to carry out this mission, including the assistance of a joint team.

"To this day, the search attempt is still ongoing. National Navy, all soldiers carry out and help KRI Nanggala," said Hadi.

In this search and rescue mission, the National Army also received assistance from other countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.

"We all hope that the search efforts will bear fruit and raise hopes for saving all KRI Nanggala personnel," said Hadi.

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff of the Navy (KSAL) Admiral Yudo Margono said that currently the training process carried out in Bali waters was postponed after the disappearance of the ship containing 53 people.

"We focus on the search," he stressed.

He also stated that the countries that are members of the submarine conference will also provide assistance.

"Those who have departed from Singapore and Malaysia, several other countries are also ready to help," he said.

"So this is an agreement at the conference. So anyone who experiences an emergency is obliged to provide safety assistance. Everything is to help humanity, there is no politics," Yudo added.

On the other hand, Yudo said there was good news from the search process. His side had detected a movement of 2.5 knots underwater.

In fact, according to Yudo, this movement did not come from a German-made ship carrying 53 crew members but from FADs. FADs are fishing tools that are installed in the sea either in shallow or deep waters.

"So what yesterday was found was an underwater FAD. So the data recording was very weak," said Yudo.

Yudo said, at that time, the underwater movement was detected via a magnet meter from the KRI Rimau with a high level of magnetism.

"It was found that high magnetism was found in a point with a depth of approximately 50-100 meters floating," he said.

For that, in the search process, his party will use a multiband echosounder from KRI Rimau. In addition, to assist in the search, KRI Rigel will also arrive in Bali waters.

"Later this can be studied in more detail so that it can be seen that there is high magnetism found there. The hope is KRI Nanggala," he said.

Apart from the search process, Yudo Margono said. The submarine KRI Nanggala-402 which was lost in the waters north of Bali has oxygen reserves for up to 72 hours.

With this air reserve, it is hoped that the crew will still survive and survive. So, various efforts are continuously being made so that the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine can be immediately found.

"Regarding the KRI's oxygen capability, if the blackout condition is like now, it can be 72 hours. So it will be approximately three days," said Yudo.

So yesterday the time of missing contact was at 03.00 o'clock so that until on Saturday at 03.00 it's already 72 hours," he added.