Indonesia’s navy announced Sunday that all 53 people were found dead on a missing submarine after rescue crews found the submarine on the ocean floor.
The submarine, KRI Nanggala 402, went missing on April 19th off the resort island of Bali. An underwater robot found the submarine in three pieces on the ocean floor at a depth of 2,750 feet. This is much deeper into the sea than the seacraft could withstand, according to Fox News.
A submarine that went missing in Indonesia last week was found in pieces on the sea bed. All 53 people on board have died.
Officials say it may have suffered a blackout and been crushed by water pressure after sinking about 2,600 feet. pic.twitter.com/DpynrAaxUT
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 26, 2021
“We received underwater pictures that are confirmed as parts of the submarine, including its rear vertical rudder, anchors, outer pressure body, embossed dive rudder, and other ship parts,” Indonesia’s military chief, Hadi Tjahjanto, said at a Sunday press conference
“With this authentic evidence, we can declare that KRI Nanggala 402 has sunk and all the crew members are dead.”
The cause of the sinking has not yet been determined. (RELATED: Submarine With 53 People On Board Went Missing Out Of Nowhere, Indonesian Military Says)
The navy plans to recover the bodies from the ocean floor, although the depth poses a significant challenge, said Admiral Yudo Margono, the navy’s chief of staff.
The navy also found emergency survival suits floating underwater near the submarine, indicating that the crew tried to put them on during the emergency, according to The Associated Press.
In a televised address, Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivered his condolences.
“All Indonesians convey deep sorrow for this tragedy, especially to all of the families of the submarine’s crew. They are the best sons of the nation, patriots guarding the sovereignty of the country,” Widodo said.