Indonesia’s missing submarine KRI Nanggala found and declared sunk, all hands lost

 

Photo taken by MV Swift Rescue shows one of the submarine's hull portion. Photo c/o BBC.


The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) has confirmed that the search for the missing Cakra-class diesel-electric attack submarine KRI Nanggala (402) is over, as the submarine was found north of Bali Island, and declared sunk.


The submarine, which was declared missing on 21 April 2021 after failing to report after a torpedo exercise, was found 838 meters below sea level on 25 April 2021. 


All 53 officers and sailors aboard the submarine has also been declared dead.


Photos provided by Indonesian media outlets and taken by the Singaporean submarine rescue ship MV Swift Rescue, show the missing submarine broken into three major portions, and breach on several parts of the hull. The submarine was said to have a hull crush depth at around 500 meters.


The TNI-AL has ruled out an explosion, and believed that the submarine experienced a power outage and hull cracking.


Recommendation for the grounding of the remaining ship of the class, the KRI Cakra (401) has been made by members of the Indonesian legislative assembly until completion of a full investigation.


The Indonesian Navy had 2 Cakra-class diesel electric attack submarines built in Germany by Howaldtswerke, with both ships launched in September 1980, and commissioned with the TNI-AL in 1981.


KRI Nanggala had its latest major refit works completed by South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in 2012, which improved its dividing depth and submerged speed slightly, while improving its combat systems.




[1] Detik News

[2] Straits Times

[3] The Jakarta Post


Indonesia’s missing submarine KRI Nanggala found and declared sunk, all hands lost Indonesia’s missing submarine KRI Nanggala found and declared sunk, all hands lost Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal on April 26, 2021 Rating: 5

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