Fragments from the submarine were found during a search operation. When the submarine of the Indonesian navy carried 53 divers into the Bali Sea during a periodic training exercise, it may have been pulled into the abyss by an invisible but powerful force. Indonesian naval officials suspect an inner wave, known to have occurred in the waters around Bali, could have caused the sinking of the KRI Nanggala 402. (According to Britannian Dictionary: Side Wave) in, a kind of gravity wave that occurs on internal “surfaces” in ocean waters). The KRI Nanggala 402 sank to a depth of 838 meters, far beyond the reach of the rescuers. As the crew members’ personal belongings surfaced and the ship’s oxygen supplies dwindled, officials said there was no possibility of anyone surviving. The question remains: What happened? Many theories have been put forward but the authorities say there is evidence that an underwater wave – which could induce a vertical tensile force below sea level – occurred in the Bali Sea around the time. The submarine disappeared last Wednesday morning. The Lombok Strait between the islands of Bali and Lombok is believed to be famous for its violent underground waves on an almost bi-weekly basis. NASA, the US space regulator, says the combination of strong tidal currents, rough ocean floor and water exchange between two channels – one shallow and one deep – “tends to combine around 14. once a day for exceptionally strong tidal currents. Indonesian naval officials believe this natural phenomenon is more likely to be the explanation for the submarine disaster than other theories have been put forward in recent days. The waves inside are barely discernible on the ocean’s surface, but underwater, they can reach towering heights. The waves inside can look like ripples on the ocean’s surface, like this satellite image taken by NASA in 2013. (Wikimedia Commons: NASA) Rear Admiral Muhammad Ali, former commander of the KRI Nanggala 402, and now the Indonesian navy planning and budgeting assistant, said an internal wave was essentially “a strong electric current that can pull a submarine. vertically so it will sink faster than usual. ” “Our suspicions were directed towards natural conditions. Because an undercurrent appeared at that time in the north of Bali,” he told Indonesian media. Naval officials said images from Japan’s Himawari 8 satellite, as well as Europe’s Sentinel satellite, showed massive underwater waves coinciding with the sinking of the KRI Nanggala 402. . “It moves from the bottom to the north and there is a groove between the two waves,” said Rear Adm. Iwan Isnurwanto, Commander of the Indonesian Navy Command and General Staff School. “The wave speed is about two knots and the amount of water is about two to four million cubic liters.” Admiral Iwan explained that an inner wave could render the crew powerless in the face of nature. “Once the water swept along and pushed the ship down, what else could we do? There is no safety measure that can fix that.” Other theories about what happened to the submarine have also emerged. Some suggested that this submarine was hit by a missile from a foreign ship, or even lost power. But naval officials said the submarine was still trackable when it began diving for torpedo drills and “the lights were on” – meaning there was only a small chance of power outages. They also denied that the ship was overloaded, a theory that had 53 crew members on board but only 34 beds, instead arguing that the crew was divided into three shifts and took turns sleeping. “The submarine was originally for 33 staff members, then modernized to meet our need to have 50 staff on board,” said Admiral Iwan. Officials said the submarine was also designed to carry eight torpedoes – weighing about a ton each – but only four at the time of the disaster. Many other experts point out that metal fatigue due to cracking or corrosion and that the age of the parts is the more likely cause. KRI Nanggala 402 was built in 1978 and last overhauled in 2012, almost a decade ago.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has also officially confirmed that the oil spill on the sea surface that has just been found near the location of the lost submarine is leaking oil from this ship, the Indonesian Army also announced a list of 53 people on board. underground “bad fate” KRI Nanggala 402. The image of oil spill on the sea was published by Indonesia on April 22. Source: Sina. It is known that at about 3 am on April 21 (local time), the Nanggala submarine disappeared in waters about 95 km north of Bali. According to the Indonesian Navy, the submarine may have fallen into a sea trench up to 700 meters deep, while the maximum diving capacity of this old submarine was only about 300 meters. Indonesia has formally requested international assistance, and Singapore, India, Australia, as well as all countries with submarine rescue capabilities and equipment have responded. According to a report on the Indonesian media Indopolitika page on April 22, the Indonesian Navy announced a list of 53 members on the Nanggala submarine, and said there were at least 53 crew members or joint staff on board. concerned. The Indonesian navy has sent several rescue teams to search for the submarine. The Nanggala submarine of the Indonesian navy is a 209/1300 class conventional submarine purchased from Germany in the end of 1980. It is forecasted that the search and salvage of this ship will be very difficult. The incident with the Indonesian submarine Nanggala was the second sinking of the submarine of this class. Earlier, in November 2017, the ARA San Juan submarine of the Argentine Navy also had an accident underwater and sank to a depth of 800 meters, all 44 people on board were killed. The ARA San Juan is also a Class 209 submarine. ARA San Juan submarine of Argentina. Source: Sina. It is known that on November 15, 2017, while returning to the base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata, the ARA San Juan submarine suddenly lost contact with the mainland. The Argentine Navy said earlier that the captain of the ARA San Juan had reported water spilling into the ventilation pipe, causing one of the ship’s batteries to short circuit. Hours later, “an explosion” is believed to have occurred near the ARA San Juan submarine site that was last identified. The Argentine Navy suspected that the cause of the explosion could be the “condensed hydrogen phenomenon”. The ARA San Juan is a German diesel-powered class 209 submarine that entered service in the mid-80s of the last century and is most recently refurbished in 2008-2014. With a refurbishment cost of up to 12 million USD, the ship can replace the engine and the energy generation system. During the repair process, experts warn of difficulties because innovation involves integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, even the slightest mistake in the repair phase. could put the safety of the ship and the life of the sailor in danger. After the incident, it was not until a year later that Argentina found the wreck of this ship with its crew. On November 17, 2018, the Ministry of Defense and the Argentine Navy announced that the US Ocean Infinity Company had discovered an object about 600 meters long on the ocean floor, confirming that this was the missing ARA San Juan submarine. The ARA San Juan submarine was found at a depth of more than 900 meters off the Valdes peninsula in the Patagonia region of the Atlantic Ocean, about 600 kilometers from the Argentine port city of Comodoro Rivadavia, the Argentine navy said. Since the ARA San Juan submarine went missing, Argentina has relied on 14 countries such as Russia, the US, the UK, Norway … to participate in the search campaign, in which Russia and the US are the two most experienced countries. in the search and rescue field. Russia has sent ocean research ships and transport aircraft Antonov carrying a searchable robot at a depth of 1,000 meters under the ocean to search. Meanwhile, the US also deployed P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft, mini submarines, and released buoys attached to sensors for detection.

Search helicopters and many other ships left Bali and a naval base in Java headed for the area out of contact with the KRI Nanggala-402 on April 21 as she prepared to conduct a torpedo exercise. . If the submarine was still intact, officials said it would only have enough air for the crew members to survive until around dawn April 24. “So far we have not found it … but with existing equipment we can find the location,” – Achmad Riad, a spokesman for the Indonesian army, said during a press conference. An Indonesian air force pilot said six tons of equipment had been moved to a base to help with the search, including an underwater hot air balloon to help lift the ship. One of the Indonesian military ships involved in the search for the submarine – Photo: Reuters The Indonesian navy said it was investigating whether the submarine lost power when submerged and could not perform emergency procedures when it sank to a depth of 600-700 meters, exceeding the allowable limit. The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy – Yudo Margono said an object with “high magnetic force” was found “floating” at a depth of 50-100 meters and an earlier aerial search had detected a trace. The oil spills near the location where the submarine last caught the signal. Navy spokesperson Julius Widjojono said the diesel-electric submarines can withstand depths of up to 500 meters but surpassing this threshold can kill people inside. The Bali Sea can reach a depth of more than 1,500 meters. One of the men on board was the commander of the Indonesian submarine fleet, Harry Setiawan. The submarine was commissioned into the Indonesian fleet in 1981 and underwent refitting in Korea, completed in 2012. It was said to be in good condition before meeting, the Defense Ministry said. accident. Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the US have sent special ships or aircraft to respond to Indonesia’s request for assistance. The US military is sending a P-8 Poseidon to assist with the submarine search. The Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Indonesian counterpart and offered additional assistance, which may include navigating underwater search equipment. Two Australian Navy ships are also heading to the search area including a frigate with special sonar scanning capabilities. Indonesia operates five submarines – 2 German-made Type 209s and three newer Korean ones.

P-8 Poseidon hunting plane. Photo: The Drive According to the CNN In addition to the US P-8 submarine hunting aircraft, a frigate with sonar scanners and an Australian helicopter are also participating in the search for the Indonesian KRI Nanggala-402 submarine. Meanwhile, deep-sea lifeboats are en route to Indonesia from India and Singapore. Indonesian officials said on Friday that if the submarine was intact and working properly, the sailors would only have enough oxygen to survive until dawn Saturday. “So far, we haven’t found it yet. But with existing equipment, we may be able to locate the submarine, ”Achmad Riad, a spokesman for the Indonesian military, said at a press conference. Submarine KRI Nanggala-402. Photo: USN Collin Koh, an expert at the Indonesian Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies, said that assuming a submarine has enough oxygen for 72 hours is an optimistic statement, as the submarine’s oxygen-generating capacity will be limited during power outages. . “So it’s possible that the oxygen has run out,” Koh said. Experts like Koh said Indonesia will have to expand the search area again if the highly magnetic object proves not to be a ship. Koh also warned that if the submarine falls to “extreme depth”, it will be almost impossible to find. The Bali Sea can reach a depth of more than 1,500 meters. At the time of his disappearance, there were 53 people on board. Including commander of Indonesian submarine fleet – Mr. Harry Setiawan. KRI Nanggala-402 submarine went missing on the morning of April 21 while participating in a torpedo drill near Bali island. On the morning of April 22, oil spills were discovered at the submarine’s diving location. On the morning of April 23, a metal object with a high magnetism was found. But since then, there have been no more clues. On the morning of April 24, the reserved oxygen on the ship was exhausted.

Yudo Margono, the naval chief of staff, told reporters that authorities had found an object with “high magnetic force” floating at a depth of 50 to 100 meters. Authorities hope the object could be the missing submarine and are currently waiting for a naval ship with underwater detection facilities to help them investigate the object further. The Indonesian military has so far declined to comment on whether the decades-old submarine, carrying 53 crew, is overpowered. Submarine KRI Nanggala-402 – Photo: Reuters However, they said the submarine may have sank to great depths after a power outage left the crew unable to control the ship. If the object is found to be part of the submarine, the navy suspects the crew may have discharged its fuel load after a power outage to allow the submarine to float. Navy officials feared the submarine might explode. Collin Koh, a naval expert and research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said damage to the fuel tank could cause “big trouble”. Naval spokesperson Julius Widjojono previously told KompasTV that a battery-powered submarine when submerged could only maintain a depth of 250 to 500 meters. “Anything that makes it go deeper than that can be fatal and dangerous,” he said. The waters in the region are shallower than in other parts of the archipelago but can still reach depths of more than 1,500 meters.

Ballarat, one of two warships dispatched by Australia to assist in the search for the missing Indonesian submarine. Photo: Australian Department of Defense It is expected that the Ballarat warships of the Australian Navy equipped with sonic radar and multi-role helicopters MH-60R will arrive in the search area on April 23. The second ship, Sirius, operating in the area off the coast of Brunei will arrive on April 27. In particular, according to the Australian Department of Defense, Sirius can provide fuel, drinking water and many essentials for ships participating in the search. Australia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced earlier that it would do whatever it could to assist Indonesia in finding the submarine in distress. Meanwhile, the country’s Defense Ministry confirmed that it would keep close contact with Indonesia in case it could provide additional assistance to the search. Submarine KRI Nanggala-402 of the Indonesian Navy, along with its crew of 53, went missing on April 21 while participating in a torpedo launch exercise. The Indonesian army, along with the help of the navy, of some countries are working all out to find the ship in distress in the context that the amount of oxygen used on the ship is only enough until the morning of April 24.

Indonesian officials fear the ship may sink deeply, making it difficult to access rescue equipment. In a statement released on April 22, President Joko Widodo called on the people of Indonesia to pray that the crew can return safely. He also ordered all-out use to locate the submarine in distress. More than 20 naval ships, two submarines, five aircraft were mobilized to participate in the search campaign. Lifeboats from Singapore and Malaysia have also arrived on the scene to provide assistance. “Our main priority is the safety of the 53 crew members” Mr. Widodo stressed. Indonesia races against time to rescue the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine. (Photo: Anadolu) Naval Chief of Staff Adm Yudo Margono said, KRI Nanggala 402 is expected to run out of oxygen at 3 am on April 24. Searches are currently concentrated around the oil slick found next to the last dive site of KRI Nanggala 402. But there is currently no evidence that the oil stain was left by a submarine. Margono said the oil could spill from a crack in the fuel tank or the crew could discharge fuel to reduce the weight to help the vessel float. The Indonesian rescue team also found an unidentified highly magnetic object located at a depth of 50-100 m. Officials of this country hope it is the lost ship. However, the Indonesian navy did not rule out the possibility that KRI Nanggala 402 had sunk at a depth of 600-700 m. This depth could crush the ship due to the water pressure. The cause of the disappearance is still unknown. Indonesian officials said the power outage may have prevented the submarine from going through the emergency procedures to float again. In addition to the lifeboats sent to Singapore and Malaysia, Australia, the US, Germany, France, Russia, India, Turkey and South Korea are offering to help Indonesia. Submarine accidents are often catastrophic. In 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk exploded and sank during a maneuver in the Barents Sea. Most of the 118 crewmembers died immediately, but 23 escaped into the rear compartment before dying because the Russian navy could not find them in time. In November 2017, an Argentine submarine carrying 44 crew members went missing in the South Atlantic. Nearly a year later, the ship’s wreck was found at a depth of 800 meters. But in 2005, a group of seven sailors aboard a small Russian submarine were rescued almost three days after their ship was hooked to a cable at a depth of 190 meters. By the time the cable was cut and surfaced, the amount of oxygen on board was only about six hours. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense said that the German-made diesel-powered KRI Nanggala 402 entered naval service in 1981. The ship carried 49 sailors, one commander and three gunners when it went missing.