An Indonesian navy submarine mysteriously disappeared during an exercise in Bali on Wednesday (April 21). Indonesian officials say a search effort has been launched. The submarine had 53 people on board.
The German-built submarine KRI Nanggala-402 is believed to have disappeared early Wednesday morning about 60 miles (96 kilometers) off the coast of Bali, according to comprehensive media reports. The submarine was conducting a torpedo exercise in waters north of Bali, but failed to report results as expected.
The Indonesian military chief said warships have been dispatched to the area to look for the KRI Nanggala-402 and its 53-member crew.
“(The navy) is currently conducting a search. We know the area, the water is quite deep.” Indonesian Navy Admiral Julius Widjojono told AFP.
The submarine was reportedly allowed to go down to deeper waters before it disappeared. Contact was then lost at around 4:30 a.m. local time.
“The KRI Nanggala-402 is one of five submarines operated by Indonesia.
Indonesian military chief Hadi Tjahjanto told Reuters that Indonesia has asked Australian and Singaporean authorities to help in the search. The two countries have yet to comment publicly.
“We are still searching for the 53 people in waters 60 miles (96 kilometers) from Bali,” Tjahjanto told Reuters in a text message.
The KRI Nanggala-402 weighs 1,395 tons, according to the Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat’s website. The submarine was built in the late 1970s and underwent a two-year refit in South Korea, which was completed in 2012.
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