DENPASAR: Rescue teams from several countries were battling against time on Friday to find a missing Indonesian Navy submarine lost in the Bali Sea with 53 crew, which would be rapidly running out of oxygen if not already crushed by water pressure.
Search helicopters and more navy ships left Bali and a naval base in Java at first light heading to the area where contact was lost with the 44-year-old KRI Nanggala-402 on Wednesday as it prepared to conduct a torpedo drill.
"The main priority is the safety of the 53 crew members," President Joko Widodo said late on Thursday.
Indonesia's navy said it was investigating whether the submarine lost power during a dive and could not carry out emergency procedures as it descended to a depth of 600-700 metres, well beyond its survivable limits.
An object with "high magnetic force" had been spotted "floating" at a depth of 50-100 metres, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono said, and an aerial search had earlier spotted an oil spill near the submarine's last location.
If the submarine was still intact, officials said it would only have enough air to last about another 15 hours until early Saturday morning.
The diesel-electric powered submarine could withstand a depth of up to 500 metres (1,640 ft) but anything more could be fatal, Navy spokesman Julius Widjojono said. The Bali Sea can reach depths of more than 1,500 metres.
One of the people on board the boat was the commander of the Indonesian submarine fleet, Harry Setiawan.
An Indonesian defence expert said the crew could still be found alive.
"But if the submarine is in a 700-metre sea trough, it will be difficult for them to survive because underwater pressure will cause cracks and ruptures of the steel hull," Connie Rahakundini Bakrie said.
DISTRAUGHT RELATIVES AWAIT NEWS
The submarine joined the Indonesian fleet in 1981, according to the defence ministry, and underwent a refit in South Korea completed in 2012. It was said to be in good condition.
"I hope that they will be found alive," said Berda Asmara, the wife of crew member Guntur Ari Prasetyo, 39, who has sailed on the Nanggala for 10 years.
"We had a video call. He told me that he would go sailing and asked me to pray for him," she said of the last time they spoke.
Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States have sent specialised ships or aircraft in response to Indonesian requests for assistance.
The U.S. Defence Department is sending "airborne assets" to assist in the submarine search, a Pentagon spokesman said.
Two Australian Navy ships were heading for the search area including a frigate with special sonar capabilities, the defence department said.
Indonesia operates five submarines - two German-built Type 209s including Nanggala and three newer South Korean vessels.
It has been seeking to modernise its defence capabilities but some of its equipment is old and there have been fatal accidents in recent years.
Reuters
Fri Apr 23 2021
An Indonesian Navy ship is seen at the Navy Base port, as the search continues for the missing KRI Nanggala-402 submarine, in Banyuwangi, East Java Province Indonesia, April 23, 2021. REUTERSpic
300 penduduk Kota Tinggi ditempatkan di PPS akibat banjir
Seramai 300 penduduk daripada 69 keluarga di daerah ini ditempatkan di sebuah pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) yang dibuka akibat banjir yang berlaku tengah hari tadi.
Utara Gaza hadapi kebuluran yang mungkin merebak ke selatan
Pengarah Program Makanan Dunia (WFP) Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) Cindy McCain hari ini mengesahkan berlaku kebuluran secara menyeluruh di utara Semenanjung Gaza yang mungkin merebak ke sela
Tumpuan Ahad - 05 Mei 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak bersidang selama 8 hari bermula 6 Mei
Mesyuarat Pertama Sesi Ketiga Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak ke-19 akan berlangsung selama lapan hari dari 6 hingga 15 Mei ini.
10 Berita Pilihan - (04 Mei 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Projek pembangunan: Kedah rakam penghargaan maklum balas baik PM, ada kelulusan segera
Muhammad Sanusi berkata sebanyak lapan projek dikemukakan untuk persetujuan Kerajaan Persekutuan selain berbelas lagi dimasukkan ke dalam senarai.
Muhammad Sanusi mohon maaf atas keterlanjuran kata
Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor meminta maaf sekiranya ada memberi ucapan yang kurang sesuai dalam konteks hubungan sesama manusia (hablumminannas).
AWANI Ringkas: Bersih anjurkan kongres Mei depan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Siklon Hidaya hampiri Tanzania
Tanzania berada dalam keadaan berjaga-jaga pada Sabtu apabila Siklon Hidaya bergerak menghampiri kawasan pantai, membawa bersamanya hujan lebat, angin kencang dan ancaman ribut.
Polis buru dua suspek kes tembak di Pasir Mas
Polis sedang memburu dua suspek disyaki terlibat dalam kes tembakan di Kampung Alor Pinggan, Gelang Mas, awal pagi tadi.