INDONESIAN NAVY RELEASES VIDEO OF SUBMARINE'S CREW SINGING FAREWELL SONG
The 43-year-old Indonesian military submarine, with 53 crew members on board, went missing on April 21 during an exercise off the coast of Bali.
Indonesia's armed forces stated that on April 24, several search teams had recovered some 'debris' or items believed to have been from the missing military submarine. Navy Chief, Yudo Margono, confirmed that rescuers found several items from the KRI Nanggala 402, including parts of a torpedo straightener and prayer rugs. They also found a grease bottle believed to have been used to oil the periscope.
The announcement came as the KRI Nanggala 402 was estimated to run out of oxygen reserves by Saturday morning.
The United States also joined the rescue teams with several other nations, as concern over the crew not having oxygen resources heightened.
An oil slick where the submarine is thought to have submerged suggested that the fuel tank might have been damaged. This led to the vessel going missing offshore. Pentagon spokesperson, John Kirby, said on Friday that the US is "deeply saddened" by the recent turn of events. He said in a statement, "Our thoughts are with the Indonesian sailors and their families. At the invitation of the Indonesian government, we are sending airborne assets to assist in the search for the missing submarine."
However, a video released by the Navy is making its way around social media, showing the last moments of the crew of a sunken Indonesian submarine. The sailors are seen happily singing a farewell song to their outgoing commander. The video shows a few crew members singing Sampai Jumpa, an Indonesian hit whose title means "Goodbye". The video was taken a month ago before the horrific incident.
The Submarine Commander, Heri Oktavian, was also among the crew gathered around a seaman strumming an acoustic guitar.
The sailors sang, "Even though I'm not ready to be missing you, I'm not ready to live without you. I wish all the best for you."
Unfortunately, the submarine's 53 crew members were confirmed dead by Indonesia's military. The ship wreckage was detected in at least three parts on the ocean floor.
Indonesian military chief, Hadi Tjahjanto, stated: "With this authentic evidence, we can declare that KRI Nanggala 402 has sunk and all the crew members are dead."
The actual cause for damage to the vessel, which led to the horrific deaths, still remains unclear. The Navy had said an electrical failure could have left the submarine unable to execute emergency procedures to resurface.
The Navy plans to eventually lift the wreckage and recover the dead. However, according to Admiral Yudo Margono, the Navy's chief of staff, the depth of where the vessel is located in the water still poses a significant challenge. The submarine was detected on the ocean floor at a depth of 838 meters, with the use of an underwater robot and scanning technology.