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U-boat accident off Bali: "The submarine was rather out of date, but still usable"

2021-04-26T18:14:10.596Z


The submarine missing off Bali has been found; all 53 crew members are apparently dead. In an interview with SPIEGEL, the coordinator of the international emergency services describes how the wreck was tracked down.


Enlarge image

The »KRI Nanggala-402« in 2014 (archive picture)

Photo: imago stock & people / imago / ZUMA Press

The missing submarine "KRI Nanggala-402" has been searched for off the coast of Bali since Wednesday.

It was found

on Sunday

.

The 53 crew members are all dead, said the Indonesian Navy.

As early as Sunday morning, the army had changed the status of the submarine from “lost contact” to “sunk” or “sunk”.

How difficult was it to find a submarine on the ocean floor hundreds of meters below ground?

Frigate captain Gennaro Vitagliano, 52, heads NATO's submarine rescue program, the "ISMERLO".

The Italian was

flown in

from

London

on Saturday

to coordinate the search operation of the emergency services from six countries on site.

Since the reception on the open sea is poor, Vitagliano reports via

WhatsApp

.

SPIEGEL:

Mr. Vitagliano, how did you find the »KRI Nanggala-402« boat?

Gennaro Vitagliano:

We focused on the area where the submarine was last sighted, about 20 miles north of Bali.

The search was narrowed to a three-mile circle.

Enlarge image

Gennaro Vitagliano: "Indonesia has to decide whether and how to proceed with the salvage of the wreck"

Photo: NATO / ISMERLO

SPIEGEL:

Which countries took part in the search?

Vitagliano:

The Indonesian Navy was there with seven ships.

Singapore and Malaysia each sent a special ship to rescue submarines.

The US participated with a submarine fighter plane.

We were also provided with an Indian and an Australian ship and an Australian plane.

SPIEGEL:

What technical means were used?

Vitagliano:

We

scanned

the ocean floor with a multibeam sonar system

(these are mainly used for surveying and mapping water, editor's note)

.

Now two remote-controlled underwater robots with mechanical arms and cameras are used.

"Numerous other navies have submarines of similar age."

SPIEGEL:

At what depth was the submarine found?

Vitagliano:

at 840 meters.

SPIEGEL:

What maximum depth could the submarine have reached?

Vitagliano:

About 400 meters.

SPIEGEL:

Why wasn't the submarine found immediately?

Vitagliano:

Basically, military submarines are built not to be found.

There are also several variables: the type of sonar tracks we get, the type of seabed and, last but not least, the state of the

U-boat is whether it's whole or broken apart.

We linked the sonar signals together and followed every trail.

SPIEGEL:

The "KRI Nanggala-402" was built in 1977 in Germany.

Was it an old submarine?

Vitagliano

: It was rather out of date, but still usable.

Many other navies have submarines of similar age.

SPIEGEL:

Do you now know more about the reasons for the accident?

Vitagliano:

No, we have to examine the wreck first.

SPIEGEL:

You have only been there since Saturday.

How was the mood among the Indonesian colleagues?

Vitagliano:

The crew members have been pronounced dead, you can imagine the mood.

As a submarine man, that also affects me very much.

At the same time, the colleagues were very determined to find the submarine.

SPIEGEL:

What's next?

Will the wreck be recovered?

Vitagliano:

Indonesia has to decide whether and how to proceed with the salvage of the wreck.

We are waiting for more pictures from the underwater robots.

Source: spiegel

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