Complete Dedication of the Nation’s Patriots

The KRI Nanggala-402 submarine, which sank to a depth of 838 meters under the sea, has been finally located and its crew declared deceased while in service.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — TNI Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto confirmed that all 53 soldiers aboard the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine, comprising 49 crew members and four non-crew members, were killed while in the service of the state.

"May Almighty God accept all acts of worship and dedication of the crew; and that we may continue our complete service as the best soldiers of the TNI," said Hadi.

The TNI Commander said the government would award promotions to the deceased soldiers of the “Hiu Kencana” (Golden Shark), all crew and personnel aboard the KRI Nanggala-402. The proposed promotions would soon be submitted to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

May Almighty God accept all acts of worship and dedication of the crew.

Recovering the bodies of the crew from the ship\'s pressurized compartment or cabin, where it was believed the crew had gathered, would require cooperating and coordinating with the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liasion Office (Ismerlo).

According to Hadi, it would not be easy to raise the vessel to recover the bodies of the crew from a depth of 838 meters underwater.

"Therefore, cooperation and coordination with Ismerlo member countries that are experienced in raising sunken vessels is needed," Hadi told Kompas and during a press conference on Sunday (25/4/2021) at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Air Force Base in Badung, Bali.

Also read:

^ TNI Takes Charge of the Condition of Families of 53 Crew Members

^ Prayers Echoing for the Crew

The KRI Nanggala-402 was declared sunk and detected at a depth of 838 meters during a strategic weapons launch exercise in the waters off northern Bali in the early morning of Wednesday (21/4), Western Indonesia Time.

Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Yudo Margono said in a press statement that the Navy would try its best to raise the ship.

"Several neighboring countries in Ismerlo have offered to assist the efforts to lift the ship," said Yudo.

Kompas

TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto (center) in a joint press conference with Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono (left) and National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo (right) at the media center post at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Air Force Base, Badung, Bali , Sunday (25/4/2021) evening. KRI Nanggala-402 was declared drowned and all personnel aboard the submarine died.

KRI Rigel scan

Earlier, Hadi said that the KRI Nanggala-402 had been located at a depth of 838 meters to the north of Bali using multibeam echosounder (MBES), a sonar transmitter and magnetometer, mounted on the KRI Rigel-933. The results of the MBES scan were then confirmed by

Singapore’s MV Swift Rescue using underwater visual imaging equipment on a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV).

"From this, we obtained an image that was confirmed to be part of the KRI Nanggala-402," said Hadi.

Based on genuine evidence, it can be confirmed that the KRI Nanggala-402 sank and all of its crew are dead.

A number of items believed to come from KRI Nanggala-402 were also discovered using the KRI Rigel-933’s MBES scanner.

The results of the visual imaging cameras on the MV Swift Rescue’s ROV equipment were presented at press conference, showing several parts of the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine including the rear vertical rudder, an anchor, the external wall of the pressurized cabin, and the diving planes. The ROV also recovered an MK11 escape suit from the submarine.

"Based on genuine evidence, it can be confirmed that the KRI Nanggala-402 sank and all of its crew are dead," said Hadi.

Also read:

^ Time Running Out to Rescue Crew of KRI Nanggala

National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who also attended the press conference, said he would continue to provide assistance and support various efforts. The National Police established two search-and-rescue (SAR) posts, one in Celukan Bawang, Buleleng, Bali, and the other at Banyuwangi Port in East Java. The police had also deployed personnel, including its disaster victim identification (DVI) team and trauma team.

Families arrive

The families of the Nanggala crew have begun to arrive at the Banyuwangi Naval Base, with at least three families arriving at the base on Sunday afternoon.

According to monitoring at the base, the family of Petty Officer 1st Class Ede Pandu Yudha Kusuma arrived first, comprising of Pandu\'s mother-in-law Yayak Dwi Ernawati and a girl. Yayak lives approximately 2 kilometers from the Naval base.

A few minutes later, Sudarmaji, the father of Chief Petty Officer Mes Dedi Hari Susilo, arrived at Banyuwangi Naval Base with Dedi\'s mother.

The third to arrive was a middle-aged man accompanied by a child, followed by two women, a man, and two children. All were from the family of Petty Officer 2nd Class Eta Kharisma Dwi Bintarani.

The families of Chief Petty Officer Dedi and Petty Officer 1st Class Pandu arrived from Banyuwangi, while the family of Petty Officer 2nd Class Kharisma came from Probolinggo.

AFP/SONNY TUMBELAKA

The Indonesian Navy patrol boat KRI Singa (651) prepares to load provisions at the naval base in Banyuwangi, East Java province, on April 24, 2021, as the military continues search operations off the coast of Bali for the Navy\'s KRI Nanggala (402) submarine that went missing April 21 during a training exercise.

Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy and Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini met with the families of several submarine crew members at the Fleet

2 Command Headquarters, to convey their condolences and comfort the crew\'s wives and children on behalf of President Jokowi.

Former Surabaya mayor Risma also expressed her heartfelt condolences.

The government is to provide mental health counseling assistance to the families, while psychologists from several centers under the Social Affairs Ministry have been instructed to accompany the families of the Nanggala crew from cities outside Surabaya.

"Psychological assistance for Surabaya [families] is also provided by the city government," said Risma.

Also read: Valuable Lessons on Used Weapons Systems

The two ministers also visited families that had not come to the Fleet 2 headquarters, including those living in Kebraon and Wonokromo in Surabaya, as well as in Medaeng in Sidoarjo.

In Madiun, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa expressed her condolences to the families of the Nanggala crew.

The majority of the 53 submarine crew members, or 47 soldiers, were residents of East Java who have family living in the provincial capital of Surabaya, Gresik, Sidoarjo, Mojokerto, Bojonegoro, Lamongan, Tuban, Bangkalan, Probolinggo, Banyuwangi, Tulungagung, Kediri, Nganjuk, and Madiun.

Sending prayers

KOMPAS/KRISTI DWI UTAMI

The family and neighbors of Major Laut (P) Eko Firmanto in Kaladawa Village, Talang District, Tegal Regency, Central Java held a tahlilan to pray for Eko and all the crew of KRI Nanggala-402 who were declared dead, Sunday (25/4/2021).

The KRI Nanggala-402 accident raised prayers of support and solidarity from residents in various places. Thousands of students at Mabadiul Ihsan Islamic Boarding School in Karangdoro village, Tegalsari district, Banyuwangi, offered their prayers for support. On Saturday evening, students and members of the Banyuwangi Regional Leadership Communication Forum held a mass prayer for the safety of the KRI Nanggala crew. Banyuwangi Naval Base commander Lt. Col. Eros Wasis, only two days in the position, also participated in the mass prayer.

Earlier in Jakarta, general chairman Jusuf Kalla of the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI), who was the 10th and 12th Indonesian vice president, invited members to pray together for the 53 soldiers aboard the KRI Nanggala-402. Kalla appealed to takmir (management groups) of mosques throughout the country to hold the Ghaib prayer congregationally or individually. The invitation was published in a DMI circular. He also prayed for a place in Heave for the Nanggala crew members who had died in the course of their duties.

Also read:

^ Time Running Out to Rescue Crew of KRI Nanggala

^ Rescue Efforts Intensify for Missing 53-Crewed Nanggala

Last Saturday, Bali Governor Wayan Koster and Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Putu Jayan Danu Putra and a number of officials from the Buleleng Regency and Buleleng Police regional leadership communication forums held the Pakelem service and a mass prayer in the Labuhan Lalang area of Sumber Kelampok village in Gerokgak district, Buleleng. The gathering prayed that the crew and the KRI Nanggala-402 would be found.

On Sunday afternoon before the breaking-of-the-fast, clergy and cultural observers of Jogoboyo community also held the “Bunga dan Doa dari Surabaya” (Flowers and Prayers from Surabaya) at Apsari Park, across the Grahadi State Building.

"Wishing the best for all crew of the Nanggala and their families," said Bhiksu Dharma Maitri from the Vihara Buddhayana Dharmawira Center.

At a Mass to mark the 4th Sunday of Easter, parishioners of Maria Ratu Damai Banyuwangi prayed for the crew of the KRI Nanggala 402. The congregation also prayed for the search efforts involving various parties.

In particular, they prayed for the safety of Maj. Whilly S.T., one of the submarine’s non-crew members and a close relative of a parishioner.

Evaluation and audit

Following the disaster involving the KRI Nanggala-420, the government and the TNI are expected to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the vessel, especially the maintenance procedures of the national defense weaponry and systems (Alutsista).

Also read: Rescue Efforts Intensify for Missing 53-Crewed Nanggala

Defense observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie said that, although she was concerned, she hoped that the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) system would be audited, because the MRO system had never been audited so far. Institutions like the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) had only audited the procurement process.

Intelligence and defense observer Susaningtyas Kertapati concurred. She believed that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for the government to evaluate the nation’s defense equipment and maintenance system, as well as the defense budget policies and their implementation. (COK/BRO/GER/NIK/NAD/INA)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.