Search For KRI Nanggala-402 Sinking Continues, Singapore Sends Ships, Police Deploys Sophisticated Drones

The search process for the KRI Nanggala-402 which was declared drowned continues to be carried out including involving a number of friendly countries (Youtube Puspen TNI)

JAKARTA - The search for the KRI Nanggala-402 which was declared drowned continues to be carried out, including involving a number of friendly countries. One of them is Singapore, which deployed the MV Swift Rescue submarine which was on its way to the search location in Bali.

"The Indonesian Navy together with the Indonesian National Police, Basarnas, KNKT and BPPT and assets of friendly countries such as Australia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia have made every effort to find the whereabouts of KRI Nanggala," TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto told reporters, Saturday, April 24th.

Marshal Hadi is still optimistic that the KRI Nanggala-402 will be found. Reinforcements assisting the search operation increased the chances of finding KRI Nanggala-402, which had previously lost contact on Wednesday, April 21.

Meanwhile, the National Police took part in the search process by using some of the advanced technologies they had.

The National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, said that he had deployed a Baharkam Polri crew to participate in combing northern Bali waters. In addition, sophisticated drones that can dive hundreds of meters are used.

"Of course, we sent them to help in the search, and 4 units of dorne which have the ability to enter up to 300 meters below the surface," said Sigit.

KRI Nanggala-402 was reported missing contact Wednesday, April 21 in northern Bali waters. The ship with type 209/1300 made in West Germany lost contact about 60 miles north of Bali waters.

Currently, the status of KRI Nanggala-402 has been upgraded from a sub-missed phase, aka lost contact, to a sub-sink or sink phase. However, the search process will continue.

In a press conference, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Yudo Margono said that the oxygen reserves in KRI Nanggala-402 could last for 5 days. As long as the ship's electrical condition is not completely dead, aka blackout

"So what I said yesterday was 72 hours when the ship was blackout. But when this ship has the electrical capability it can last up to 5 days, so it can last up to 5 days," said KSAL Admiral Yudo to reporters, Saturday, April 24.

The TNI cannot confirm the electrical conditions of the KRI Nanggala-402. However, from the information received before contact was lost, the ship's electrical conditions were still running well.

From that report, KRI Nanggala-402 was still able to dive well.

"So we cannot determine whether yesterday was a blackout or not because when I said at the beginning that the tracking team from Kopaska when this ship entered the lights were all still alive," said KSAL.

"Even signs of a combat role, this diving role can still be heard from the Kopaska tracking ship, which is 50 meters from the ship," continued KSAL Yudo.

Finding Component Flakes

A number of fragments of the KRI Nanggala-402 component were found during the search. Starting from the torpedo component parts to the base used by the crew of the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine to pray.

“Some of the last items (at the location) of the dive boat were found which are believed to be parts or components of the submarine. This will not be lifted to the outside if there is no pressure, "said KSAL Yudo.

These items were confirmed to belong to the KRI Nanggala-402 after being checked by an expert, the former crew of the German submarine.

"From the experts, it is believed that the former ABK KRI Nanggala belonged to the KRI Nanggala," he said.

The fragments of this component are suspected to be due to the pressure experienced by the submarine KRI Nanggala-402. KSAL confirmed, this debris occurred because of a crack, not an explosion.

“A rift, not an explosion. If the explosion would have all disappeared, due to gradual cracking in certain parts, when he (KRI Nanggala-402) descended, there were phases starting from a depth of 300-500. There are phases of cracks because if an explosion will definitely be heard, it will not be an explosion but rather a crack, "said KSAL.

KRI Nanggala-402 was reported missing contact Wednesday, April 21 in northern Bali waters. The ship with type 209/1300 made in West Germany lost contact about 60 miles north of Bali waters.