The crew of an Indonesian submarine was declared dead on Sunday after the vessel was found in three parts deep in the ocean.
The diesel-powered KRI Nanggala-402 was found at a depth of 838 meters, or 2,750 feet, on Saturday, according to the nation’s military. Fifty-three people were on board.
“Based on the evidence, it can be stated that the KRI Nanggala has sunk, and all of its crew have died,” military Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said, according to the Associated Press.
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Bodies of the crew members have not yet been discovered.
The submarine was declared missing after it missed a scheduled reporting call during a Wednesday training exercise. An oil slick was found near the position of the submarine’s last dive, about 60 miles north of the island of Bali.
“The KRI Nanggala is divided into three parts, the hull of the ship, the stern of the ship, and the main parts are all separated, with the main part found cracked,” navy chief of staff Yudo Margono said.
Margono added that the crew was not to blame for the sinking, with the cause still unclear. Officials previously believed the vessel had sunk to a depth of 600 to 700 meters and that the oxygen on board would run out early Saturday morning. Some authorities said an electrical failure could have played a role.
“All of us Indonesians express our deep sorrow over this tragedy, especially to the families of the submarine crew,” President Joko Widodo said.
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The Indonesian military moved the vessel’s status from “sub miss” to “sub sunk” on Saturday after debris, including parts of prayer mats and sponges believed to be from the submarine, were found.
