Singapore navy dispatches submarine rescue vessel to Indonesia
SINGAPORE — The Singapore navy has dispatched its submarine rescue vessel to Indonesia to help in the search for the missing Indonesian navy submarine KRI Nanggala 402.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (22 April), Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the MV Swift Rescue was dispatched expeditiously on Wednesday afternoon, after the Chief of Navy received a request for assistance from his Indonesian counterpart.
The KRI Naggala 402, with 53 crew on board, went missing in the early hours of Wednesday during regular exercises off the coast of Bali, more than 1,500km away from Singapore and in deep waters.
An Indonesian navy spokesman on Thursday reportedly said search teams were focused on an area around an oil slick, but the exact location of the missing vessel remains unknown.
In his Facebook post, Dr Ng said Singapore's military ties with Indonesia are very close and built up over years of bilateral exercises and engagements.
"It is only natural that we do whatever we can to assist in times like this," he said.
Aside from the regular crew on board the MV Swift Rescue, a medical team was also deployed in case hyperbaric care – in relation to greater than normal gas pressure – would be needed.
Dr Ng added that "our fervent prayers and hopes go out to the crew of KRI Nanggala, for their safety and resilience and also to the search and locate teams of the Indonesian Navy currently on site."
In a separate Facebook post, Singapore's Ministry of Defence said, "We continue to pray for the safety of the crew on board the missing submarine and our RSN crew assisting with the search ops."
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