Indonesian authorities continue against the clock with the search for a missing submarine with 53 crew on board after submerging during a series of naval exercises.
With the deployment of five ships and a helicopter, in addition to the participation of more than 400 people, collaborate in the tracking mission of waters north of the island of Bali where contact with the ship was lost , said Achmad Riad, director of the Information team of the Indonesian Armed Forces
The Chief of the Navy of Indonesia , Yudo Margono, stated at a press conference that the submarine, that disappeared about 40 minutes after diving, spend At 4 am on Tuesday , it has capacity for some 72 hours of oxygen.
Singapore, Malaysia and Australia have already offered help to Indonesia with the dispatch of ships to reinforce the rescue mission.
The Singaporean navy will send a vessel used to detect submarines expected to arrive in the area on Saturday; While a Malaysian ship will arrive next Monday, Riyadh pointed out.
For her part, the Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, told the ABC public channel that the Australian Defense “Will help as much as possible” and that they are in contact with their Indonesian neighbors to determine the collaboration.
The submarine KRI Nanggala – 402, made in Germany in 1977 , disappeared while conducting military exercises with torpedoes at a depth of about 402 meters.
The Army spokesman indicated that the ship began the dive at 3 o’clock: 46 local time (20: minutes later the loading of torpedo tube number 8 began.
The last communication with the submarine took place at 4: 25 local time (21: 25 GMT on Tuesday) and before authorizing the launch of the torpedo, the connection with the ship was lost. The ships participating in the exercise began the search immediately.
Four hours later, the search teams located a fuel leak near the area from a helicopter in which the submarine disappeared.
Indonesia currently has a fleet of five submarines, two of German manufacture, including the missing one, which was acquired in 1981, and three made in South Korea.
With information from Agencies.
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