Countries search for missing Indonesian sub
Only hours of oxygen remain, naval officials say.
Several countries in the Asia-Pacific region are assisting the Indonesian Navy in the search for a missing sub, the KRI Nanggala-402, which went missing during a torpedo drill in the Bali Strait.
“Under a blackout condition, KRI Nanggala can last for 72 hours with the existing oxygen capacity, which is estimated until Saturday,” said Indonesian Navy chief of staff Laksamana Yudo Margono during a press conference on Thursday.
Unfortunately, the crisis is complicating as the crew of 53 are running out of oxygen.
Naval units from Australia, the United States, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and other regional players. The governments of Russia, Germany, France, the United States, Turkey, and South Korea have also offered operational and advisory aid to the search.
John Kirby, the press secretary for the Pentagon in Washington, DC, announced that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would soon coordinate with his regional counterparts, including the Indonesian Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto.
“We are deeply saddened by the news of Indonesia’s lost submarine, and our thoughts are with the Indonesian sailors and their families,” Kirby tweeted.
“At the invitation of the Indonesian government, we are sending airborne assets to assist in the search for the missing submarine.”
On March 31, Secretary Austin had a phone call with Minister Subianto, in which both affirmed the importance of maintaining their bilateral defense relationship, notes a communique from the US Department of Defense press office.
The Singaporean Navy deployed the MV Swift Rescue to aid the search, too.
“[MV Swift Rescue] was dispatched expeditiously yesterday afternoon, as fast as she could get ready…A medical team was also added to the regular crew in the event that hyperbaric care would be needed,” said Singapore defense minister Ng Eng Hen in a statement, posted on social media.
“Our fervent prayers and hopes go out to the crew of KRI Nanggala, for their safety and resilience and also to the search and locate teams of the Indonesian Navy currently on site.”
This is a developing story.
