Search teams zero in on suspected location of missing Indonesian submarine on last day of its oxygen supply
Search teams say they are focusing on an area where the missing Indonesian submarine could be located. The area of interest is about 40 kilometres north of Bali, where oil has been found on the surface of the water. The head of the Indonesian military’s central information unit says the oil is near a dive point and where an object thought to be from the submarine was detected. The object had a strong magnetic resonance at a depth of 50 to 100 metres.
But time is running out to find the submarine as authorities say the vessel’s oxygen will run out today. On board the missing vessel are 49 crew members, the submarine’s commander, and 3 arsenal personnel, totaling 53 people. The German-built submarine is one of 5 that belong to the Indonesian navy. The German-made, KRI Nanggala-402, submarine lost contact during a torpedo military exercise in the Bali Strait early Wednesday morning.
Additional ships with high-tech capabilities also joined the search efforts yesterday, creating a search team consisting of 21 Indonesian warships, a submarine and additional vessels from Indonesia’s police and rescue department. 2 Australian warships also joined in the search efforts as well as 3 C-17 aircraft that were expected to depart yesterday from the US.
