KRI Nanggala-402 Oxygen Reserves Are Running Out, Major Achmad Riad: We Maximize Our Search Today

Kapuspen TNI Major General Achmad Riad (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The search for the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine will be maximized today. This is because the oxygen reserves on the ship that were lost in waters north of Bali on Wednesday, April 21 only lasted 72 hours, or to be precise, until Saturday, April 24 at 03.00 WITA.

"Anyway, until tomorrow's deadline at 03.00, it is maximized today", said the Head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Major General Achmad Riad in a press conference at I Ngurah Rai Air Force Base, Badung, Bali, Friday, April 23.

The targeted search area is 60 miles from the waters of North Bali. This is based on the discovery of a fuel spill that was found on Thursday, April 22 yesterday.

"So the area (the search for, red) that we got yesterday was from the oil spill, diesel spill, or whatever came out of it. The area is still around 60 miles from the waters north of Bali", he said.

Furthermore, Achmad hopes that the KRI Nanggala-402 still in a submiss position or missing a position. This is because until now his party has not made a sub sunk signal or the ship sank at a depth of 600-700 meters below sea level.

He asked for prayers from the community so that the search would soon bear fruit and the 53 crew members of the KRI Nanggala-402 could be saved.

"The hope is that it is still in the sub-miss position. We should try first, we cannot give any speculation regarding that", said Achmad.

"So we ask for prayer so that the troops or equipment deployed can be maximally able to capture this position", he added.

Previously reported, KRI Nanggala-402 previously requested permission to dive in Bali waters at 03.00 WITA, Wednesday, April 21.

The plan, this submarine will carry out firing for a training rehearsal. However, the KRI Nanggala-402, which brought these 53 people, then lost contact.

The search was carried out using active sonar in the vicinity of the KRI Nanggala-402 dive. But to no avail. Meanwhile, at 07.00 WITA, the search was carried out by air. An oil spill was seen at the location of the KRI Nanggala-402 diving.

The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Yudo Margono confirmed that the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine that was lost in Bali waters was fit for use even though it was old. Moreover, this submarine has received an eligibility letter from the Navy Materiel Feasibility Service.

"The Nanggala-402 submarine is ready, both personnel and material. The personnel is complete, the material has already received the Dislaikmatal eligibility letter," Yudo said in a press conference broadcast on YouTube Puspen TNI, Thursday, April 22.

He said that this ship was built in Germany in 1977 and received by the Indonesian Navy in 1981. So far, the Nanggala-402 has a history of firing 15 torpedo head exercises and twice firing the warhead torpedoes.

"So the KRI Nanggala is ready for combat, so we send it, we involve it to fire the torpedo of the head of training and the head of war", he said.

Meanwhile, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said the eligibility letter issued by the Navy Material Feasibility Service still valid until March 25, 2022.

"It is still feasible to carry out operations", he said.