Of all the branches of the military, sub sailors have it the worst in my opinion. Getting shot or blown up would suck but being stuck on the bottom of the ocean in a leaky sub, pitch black because the power went out and waiting to drown would be about as bad as it gets.

Hope they're ok.

Death by hull implosion would be far more merciful than being stuck thousands of feet below the ocean with no power, no comms, dwindling food supply, a stubborn leak slowly filling up the sub's interior. Unthinkable horror.

https://static.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs ... 1619005528

Indonesia searching for missing submarine with 53 on board


The KRI Nanggala-402 was conducting a torpedo drill in waters north of Bali when it went missing.PHOTO: PUSAT PENERANGAN TNI/FACEBOOK
Updated2 hours ago

JAKARTA (REUTERS, AFP) - Indonesia’s navy is searching for a submarine with 53 people on board that went missing on Wednesday (April 21) and is seeking help from neighbouring Australia and Singapore in the hunt, the Indonesian military chief told Reuters.

The German-made submarine, KRI Nanggala-402, was conducting a torpedo drill in waters north of the island of Bali but failed to relay the results as expected, a navy spokesman said.

“We are still searching in the waters of Bali, 60 miles (96km) from Bali, (for) 53 people,” military chief Hadi Tjahjanto told Reuters in a text message.

The military chief confirmed that assistance in the search for the submarine and missing crew members had been sought from Australia and Singapore. He said that contact with the vessel was lost at 4.30am on Wednesday.

Singapore's submarine support vessel MV Swift Rescue, usually manned by a 27-person crew, departed from Changi Naval Base on Wednesday afternoon.

The 1,395-tonne KRI Nanggala-402 was built in Germany in 1978, according to the Indonesian Cabinet secretariat’s website, and underwent a two-year refit in South Korea that was completed in 2012.

Indonesia in the past operated a fleet of 12 submarines purchased from the Soviet Union to patrol the waters of its sprawling archipelago.

But now it has a fleet of only five, including two German-built Type 209 submarines and three newer South Korean vessels.

Indonesia has been seeking to upgrade its defence capabilities but some of the equipment that are still in service are old. In recent years, there have been deadly accidents involving, in particular, ageing military transport planes.

According to a statement by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, which is monitoring the search for the missing submarine, an aerial surveillance by a helicopter at 7am (8am Singapore time) had found an oil spill around the initial dive site.

The missing boat “had asked for permission to dive at 3am (Jakarta time). After being granted a dive permit according to the procedure, the boat lost contact and could not be contacted”, said the statement.

Two navy vessels have since been deployed to assist in the search using side-scan sonar, it added.

The ministry said: “Several countries have responded and are ready to provide assistance, including the Singapore Navy, the Australian Navy and the Indian Navy.”

Given Indonesia's aviation safety record, the thought of a 40+ year old sub in their hands, with no international oversight, is a recipe for disaster.

This incident smells bad. There is more to the picture. Considering the Navy stepped up patrols as a response to a neighbour who insists on "fishing" nearby. And the responding countries are not on very good terms with this said neighbour.

Smells bad... really bad. This event could be an important marker in history when we look back.

ergosemper wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:33 pm Death by hull implosion would be far more merciful than being stuck thousands of feet below the ocean with no power, no comms, dwindling food supply, a stubborn leak slowly filling up the sub's interior. Unthinkable horror.

Yep, for sure. I'd take the hull implosion over the alternative every time.

I read somewhere today they have enough oxygen to last until sometime tomorrow but that there's a good chance that even if they're found they'll be in water too deep to really be able to do much to help them, assuming the sub is still in one piece.

When it comes to the worst death imaginable, the only parallel to this gruesome incident that I can think of is cave diving or caving (spelunking). Truly nightmarish. Being hopelessly stuck thousands of feet below the ocean is akin to the Nutty Putty and Mossdale Caverns tragedies.