BEIJING, KOMPAS.com – Ministry of Defence China announced that it had sent a Navy ship to the Lombok Strait to help lift the carcass KRI Nanggala-402.
Position submarine The fateful one was discovered on April 25, after missing for several days while conducting torpedo firing exercises in the ocean waters north of Bali.
KRI Nanggala-402 are confirmed to have sunk and broken into three pieces with the carcass now at a depth of more than 800 meters.
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China’s Ministry of Defense confirmed it would join the international rescue effort after delivering “deep condolences” to the victims.
“We would like to send our deepest condolences to the victims of the submerged Indonesian submarine, KRI Nanggala-402, and convey our sincere sympathies to the bereaved families,” said Colonel Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
Colonel Ren added that at the request of the Indonesian government, the People’s Liberation Army had sent Navy ships to “the relevant waters of the Lombok Strait” to help lift the 44-year-old German-made submarine.
At the end of last year, the Indonesian military showed an underwater drone allegedly belonging to China that was found by fishermen from Selayar Island located in the vicinity of the waters.
Some suspect that this missile-sized device is mapping an important maritime route to Australia.
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Can increase the influence of the Chinese Navy
An unnamed Chinese submarine expert, quoted by state media, said the rescue mission would benefit the People’s Liberation Army.
“This could help China study its maritime military geography in the area where the submarine was sunk, as well as expand our international cooperation and Navy influence in submarine rescue,” the expert said.
The Indonesian Navy said that three Chinese ships, including the rescue ship Yongxingdao 863, are expected to join the rescue operation.
The assistance of the three Chinese Navy ships was deployed after the ships from Australia, Singapore and Malaysia left the location after the KRI Nanggala-402 was found.
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The Australian Department of Defense confirmed it was no longer part of efforts to remove the wreck.
“(Battleship) HMAS Ballarat was released from search duty on April 26 after confirmation that the Indonesian side had found the whereabouts of KRI Nanggala,” a spokesman for the Australian Department of Defense told ABC.
“Meanwhile, HMAS Sirius was released from duty before arriving at the location of the search,” he explained.
“So far Australia has not been asked to contribute further in lifting the Nanggala KRI,” he added.
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