The KRI Nanggala-402 submarine disappeared on Wednesday. 53 crew members were onboard.
After a three-day search, debris from a missing Indonesian submarine was found. Per CNN, the status of the missing submarine was changed from “sub miss” to “sub sank.”
The search for the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine began after the vessel disappeared on Wednesday. Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Yudo Margono explained that authorities will now carry out an evacuation process to recover the ship and its 53 crew members when they pinpoint the submarine’s exact location.
Yudo says no sign of any crew has been found so far, but they were expected to have run out of oxygen early on Saturday. Warships deployed to the area will help find the submarine by detecting magnetic or metal objects in the water.
According to CNN, an explosion was not believed to have occurred on the submarine, but heavy pressure on the vessel likely created a crack from which some items escaped. The New York Post adds that an oil slick found near the sight of the possible wreckage suggests some fuel tank damage could have played a role.
Yudo said several pieces of debris from the submarine were shown to journalists during a news conference. Items included part of a torpedo launcher, a bottle of grease, prayer mats, and part of a metal tube.
The debris was found a couple of miles from where the submarine starting diving before it went missing, and it was floating at a location where it would make a possible evacuation difficult. Debris was found 850 meters deep, but the submarine could not survive beyond 500 meters.
Several countries have stepped up to offer assistance, including Australia, Germany, and France. The United States has also sent aircraft to assist.
