Rescue Efforts Intensify for Missing 53-Crewed Nanggala

The KRI Nanggala-402 that went missing was suspected of having experienced a black out while diving further deep. The search has been intensified in the hope that the 53 crew on board can be saved.

KOMPAS/ CYPRIANUS ANTO S

The submarine KRI Nanggala-402 sailed near the Indah Kiat pier in Cilegon City, Banten, in April 2012.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The Indonesian Navy has deployed high-tech ships to search for the ill-fated submarine. Joining the search mission are Singaporean and Australian navies with their rescue-for-submarine vessels.

KRI Nanggala-402 submarine was reported to have gone missing in the waters north of Bali Island on Wednesday morning (21/4/2021) and communities are harboring hope that the search and rescue efforts go smoothly.

The German-made submarine is suspected to have experienced a total power failure during a diving maneuver, causing it to head downward uncontrollably into a trough at a depth of about 700 meters below sea level.

Also read: Valuable Lessons on Used Weapons Systems

The Indonesian Navy\'s Information Center has disclosed that the 53 people aboard the submarine consist of 49 crew members, 3 arsenal personnel and a commander.

The sub commander is Marine Lt. Col. (P) Heri Octavian, who has just served for a year.

When contacted by Kompas on Wednesday, National Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Hadi Tjahjanto confirmed the submarine’s disappearance – believed to be aground a 700-meter deep trough -- about 60 miles or about 95 kilometers to the north of Bali Island, at around 3 am local time.

"Just after receiving requests for the dive, and giving clearance, [we] suddenly lost contact," said the TNI Commander.

Also read: Alutsista Reform is Prioritized

KRI Nanggala-402 was in Bali waters to participate in a torpedo firing drill. A number of journalists were to be involved to cover the exercise, before it was canceled. The exercise was planned to be held on Thursday (22/4) and was scheduled to be attended by the TNI Commander and Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudho Margono.

Just after receiving requests for the dive, and giving clearance, [we] suddenly lost contact.

KOMPAS/ANSEL DA LOPEZ

The submarine KRI Nanggala at Cilegon Beach during a rehearsal for the 36th ABRI Day on October 2, 1981. KRI Nanggala, made in Howaldtswerke factory, Kiel, Germany, arrived in Indonesia at the end of September 1981.

Head of the Navy\'s Information Center, First Marshal Yulius Widjojono, said that soon after losing contact with KRI Nanggala-402 they deployed a number of warships to the location, including KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata, KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai and KRI Diponegoro, to conduct active sonar-using searches.

"At 7 WIB [Western Indonesia Time] , an aerial observation by a helicopter spotted oil spill in the diving position," Yulius said. The oil spill occurred possibly due to damage to the submarine\'s fuel oil tank because of the sea pressure or as an emergency signal of position sent by the KRI Nanggala.

A number of high-tech ships were later instructed to move to the location. They were KRI Rigel, KRI Spica and mine sweeper KRI Pulau Rengat.

Also read: Archipelagic State Defense

The first two are claimed to be the most modern hydro-oceanographic survey ships in Southeast Asia.

KRI Rigel departed from Jakarta at 2 pm. The ship has a Konigsberg-made underwater vehicle, which can serve underwater imaging activities up to a depth of 1,000 meters, echo sounder and various other equipment.

The two survey vessels were involved in the search and rescue mission of the Sriwijaya air plane, which crashed in the Thousand Islands on January 9, 2021.

Yulius said the Singaporean and Australian search reinforcement ships were on their way to the location.

Early analysis

According to Yulius, there was a possibility that the submarine experienced a blackout during statistical diving, which caused it to lose control and become unable to carry out emergency procedures. As a result, the submarine fell to a depth of 600 to 700 meters below sea level. An emergency button, he said, is available in the submarine to enable it to remain afloat. Entering the Navy fleet in 1981, KRI Nanggala-402 was said to have gone through cruise-worthiness check before setting out.

The Type 209 submarine was ordered from Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Kiel, Germany, in 1977 along with KRI Cakra-401.

Also read: Covid-19 Affects Military Strengthening

Both used to the only submarines in operation, which, as Kompas reported in 2005, prompted military observers’ concerns about the need to rejuvenate and strengthen Indonesia\'s submarine fleet.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

The submarine KRI Nanggala-402 docked at Madura Pier, Indonesian Fleet Command East Region, Surabaya, East Java, Monday (6/2/12). The arrival of the KRI Nanggala after repairs in South Korea.

While considered to be old, KRI Cakra-401 and KRI Nanggala-402 served a patrol of a sprawling Indonesian sea territory covering 5.8 million square kilometers with more than 81,000 kilometers of coastline and more than 17,500 islands.

KRI Nanggala underwent two major refit in South Korea in 2006 and 2011.

From 2017 to 2018, Indonesia added three submarines to the fleet. Two made in South Korea and another was a joint production built in PT PAL dock with technology transfer from Korea.

Pray for missing crew

The news about KRI Nanggala has raised people’s vigilance, praying for a smooth, successful search and rescue mission, as initiated by Catholics from the Tropodo Holy Cross Parish, Sidoarjo, East Java.

One of the crew members of the KRI Nanggala turns to be the son-in-law of Vincentius Totok Noerwasito, a professor of the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) Surabaya. The family is following intently the development of the search mission.

Also read: Modern Defense Needs Strengthening of Civil Capability

One of the family members of the submarine’s crew said that he had been informed by the Navy about the incident location. They were asked to be patient and pray for crew’s safety.

Military observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie said the KRI Nanggala incident provided a cause for concern. "I hope everything will be fine. The movement under the sea is still detected albeit weak, only 2.5 knots," he said.

Director of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) Khairul Fahmi said the extent of Indonesian waters should ideally require 12 submarines for security patrol or combat operations.

However, due to budget constraints, old fleets are still operated and rejuvenating them is all Indonesia can be done. (EDN/GER/BRO/NAD)

This article was translated by Musthofid.