Search and rescue efforts for the missing Indonesian navy submarine Nangara on April 21 have entered a second day, with Indonesian air search and rescue crews today (22) finding traces of fuel leaks in the sea near the site of the submarine’s disappearance, Reuters reported on April 22.
Indonesia’s Defense Ministry said air search and rescue personnel in the “Nangara” dive location near the sea found oil spill, the Indonesian Navy has deployed two warships equipped with sonar system to assist in the search and rescue.
A statement from Indonesia’s foreign ministry said the country had sent requests for assistance to several countries and that Australia, Singapore and India had responded. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne told AUSTRALIAN ABC television on Thursday that the Australian Defence Force would “do everything we can to help.”
“The submarine may have experienced a power failure during the dive, causing the control system to break down and preventing emergency procedures from being implemented, and the ‘Nangara’ could sink into the deep sea at 600 to 700 meters,” the Indonesian navy said in a statement, Reuters said. An Indonesian official said the Nangara was designed to have a maximum depth of 250 meters.
Indonesia’s navy said the oil spill found on the surface of the water could mean damage to the submarine’s tank, but it could also be a signal from the crew.
Reported that the 1395 tons of “Nangara” is Indonesia from Germany purchased type 209 submarines, started in Germany in 1977, in 1981 joined the Indonesian Navy. Entering the 21st century, the submarine underwent a two-year retrofitting upgrade in South Korea, which was completed in 2012.
