The Indonesian navy said on Wednesday it was looking for a submarine in its fleet with 53 people on board with which it lost contact after exercises off Bali.
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A Navy spokesperson confirmed that the submarine, the KRI Nanggala 402, has not resumed contact with its base after military exercises.
“It is true that (the submarine) lost contact early in the morning around 3:00 am local (19:00 GMT Tuesday), said First Admiral Julius Widjojono, spokesman for the navy.
The navy is "currently conducting research."
"We know the area but it is quite deep," he added.
He did not give further details on the German-made submarine.
The commander of the Indonesian armed forces Hadi Tjahjanto told AFP that Jakarta had asked for help from Singapore and Australia.
The submarine had 53 crew on board and could be at a depth of 700 meters north of the island of Bali, he said.