Chinese Navy Joins Efforts to Salvage Lost Indonesian Submarine

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) has joined the search for the Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala-402, nearly two weeks after the ship sank with the loss of its 53-man crew off the northern coast of Bali on Wednesday, April 21.

The Indonesian Navy’s [TNI AL] Information Service or Dispenal said the PLA Navy has sent three salvage ships to help retrieve the KRI Nanggala-402 off the sea where it sank to a depth of 838 meters.

“The PRC Navy Ship Ocean Tug Nantuo-195 and PRC Navy Ocean Salvage and Rescue Yong Xing Dao-863 has arrived in Bali on Sunday,” said the Indonesian Navy on Monday, May 3. “A third vessel, the Scientific Salvage Tan Suo 2, is still on the way to Indonesian waters.”

Also read: Indonesian Navy to Keep Out Observers in KRI Nanggala-402 Inquiry

The Indonesian Navy added that the vessels are well equipped to find KRI Nanggala-402.

“The PRC Navy Ocean Salvage and Rescue Yong Xing Dao-863 is equipped with robots and side scan sonar boat rescue equipment, while the PRC Navy Ship Ocean Tug Nantuo-195 is capable of salvaging operations to a depth of 4500 meters.”

AP Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala sails in the waters off Tuban, East Java, Indonesia, as seen in this aerial photo taken from Indonesian Navy helicopter of 400 Air Squadron, in this Monday, Oct. 6, 2014 photo. Indonesia's navy is searching for the submarine that went missing north of the resort island of Bali with a number of people on board, the military said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eric Ireng)

The Indonesian Navy said the PLA Navy sent the ships after Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian offered the aid to Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto, who accepted the offer

The PLA Navy units will join other ships with similar deep water capabilities to find the submarine, such as the Singaporean Navy submarine rescue ship MV Swift Rescue and Indonesian oil and gas company SKK Migas vessel Timas 1201, which has a 1200 metric ton crane to scour the deep.

Also read: Sunken KRI Nanggala-402 Vessel: Adieu, Gallant Sailors!

The United States Navy also aided in the search for KRI Nanggala-402, by sending a P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft to seek out the boat. The Indonesian Navy plans to salvage the submarine and the remains of its crew.

The Indonesian Navy said the German-built Type 209 submarine split in three on sinking. The loss of the KRI Nanggala-402’s was widely mourned in Indonesia.

Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono described the ship’s loss as a ‘black day’ for the Hiu Kencana, or Indonesian Navy Submarine Corps.

(Writer: Achmad Nasrudin Yahya | Editor: Kristian Erdianto)

Sources: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/05/03/22053791/ini-spesifikasi-kapal-china-yang-bantu-evakuasi-kri-nanggala-di-perairan?page=all#page2.