The US military has sent airborne assistance to help search for a missing Indonesian submarine with 53 crew members on board. Indonesian authorities have estimated that there are just hours left to find the submarine before oxygen runs out. The vessel, the KRI Nanggala 402, disappeared on Wednesday during exercises off the coast of Bali. Other nations such as Australia and Singapore have joined the search as well. An oil slick near where the submarine submerged suggested damage to a fuel tank may have been a factor.
Late Thursday night, the Indonesian military stated that it had detected signs of an object at a depth of 165 to 330 feet, and have since dispatched ships with sonar-tracking equipment in the hope that it was the vessel. At least six warships, a helicopter, and 400 people have been involved in the search. France and Germany have recently offered assistance as well. The oxygen onboard will likely run out around 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, meaning that today’s events will be critical.
Read More: US joins race to find stricken Indonesia submarine