‘India Ready To Help In Indonesian Submarine Search’

The search for a German-built Indonesian submarine Nanggala continues for the second day and “several countries have responded and are ready to help including Singapore, Australia and India,” the Indonesian Defence Ministry has said. The 44-year-old submarine, scheduled to conduct live torpedo exercises, has been missing since April 21 off the coast of Bali and has a crew of 33 to 53. An aerial search has found an oil spill near the submarine’s dive location and could indicate damage to the vessel or could be a signal from the crew, the Indonesian Navy has said. India is one of the few countries to have Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) capability. Other nations including the U.S, Australia, France and Germany have also offered help. Indonesia’s current fleet includes two German-built submarines and three newer South Korean vessels.