KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian government through The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) had sent the ship MV Mega Bakti on April 22 for search and rescue operation (SAR) on a submarine KRI NANGGALA (type 209 SSK) that was reported missing in the waters of Bali Island, Indonesia on 21st April 10.37a.m.
Ministry of Defence in its statement said, the submarine carrying 53 crew was said to have failed to be connected starting from 21st April 4.00am.
The statement added, the Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had contacted the Indonesian Defence Minister, Prabowo Subrianto to express his sympathy to all the National Navy of Indonesia (TNI-AL) National Army of Indonesia (TNI) Indonesian Ministry of Defence and the Indonesian people for the incident that had occurred on KRI NANGGALA.
“In the telephone conversation, Ismail had informed that as a “friend” to Indonesia, Malaysia via RMN will set its opertion to search for the missing submarine and subsequently perform the “hajat prayers” for the safety of the crew and for the submarine to be found immediately,” the statement said.
The statement added, the SAR operation involving 54 crew consists of seven officers and RMN staffs, three officers and medical staff of Malaysian Armed Forces (MEF) besides 44 crew from MV Mega Bakti. The operation is headed by Commander Mohd. Hairul Fahmy Yob from RMN as Coordinator Rescue Force (CRF).
“MV Mega Bakti had started sailing from the Headquarters of Submarine Operation Authority Jetty, Teluk Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and is expected to reach the SAR location on 25th April 2021, 3pm,” the statement added.
According to the statement, this SAR operationwas the second for MV Mega Bakti after being involved in the search for MH370 that was reported missing in the Indian Ocean in 2014.
The capabilities and the SAR equipments of MV Mega Bakti include:- a) Distress Submarine Ventilation Depressurrized System (1) Compressed Air Generation (CAM), 2) Process Control Module (PCM), 3) Submarine Link Module (SLM) b) GPS Intelligent Buoy (GIB) System-Localisation of Pinger, c) Intervention Remotely Operated Vehicle (IROV) with LARS operating Depth 650m, d) ELSS Pod, e) 2×6 men Dive Decompression Chamber (DDC). –Malaysia World News
