Indian Navy sends rescue vessel to search for missing Indonesian submarine

The Indonesian submarine with 53 crew members had gone off the radar during a torpedo drill north of the island of Bali.

Indian Navy on Thursday despatched its Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel from Visakhapatnam to support Indonesia in its search for its submarine KRI Nanggala.

The Indonesian submarine with 53 crew members had gone off the radar during a torpedo drill north of the island of Bali.

Even though an oil spill was spotted near the 44-year-old submarine's dive location, naval vessels with sonar capability were unable to detect the boat.

Indonesian Navy said that the diesel-powered submarine that runs on electric batteries while submerged could sustain a depth of 250-500 metres. Beyond that, things can get dangerous.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Indonesian Navy said that during static diving, a blackout might have occurred, leading to loss of control. In  such a situation, emergency procedures cannot be carried out, and the ship falls to a depth of 600-700 metres."

Singapore and Malaysia have also deployed their rescue vessels to assist in the search operation. 

In a Facebook post, Singapore defence minister Ng Eng Hen said its submarine rescue vessel was dispatched as fast as it could get ready after the country's navy chief received a request for assistance from his Indonesian counterpart. A medical team was also sent in case hyperbaric care would be needed.