the difficult task of finding a lost submarine in Indonesia

Military submarines are designed to navigate the depths of the oceans without being detected by enemies or spies. Almost they do not emit noise or heat and reflect radar and sonar pulses as little as possible. Therefore, most underwater disappearances barely they finish successfully.

When emergencies arise and the vessel loses communication but wants to be found, the crew may attract attention release goals SOS towards the surface or by hitting the hull of the boat to emit acoustic signals underwater.

Sonar is important in this type of operation because its underwater sound propagation system can detect objects submerged in the depths of the sea, where no visibility.

This is the same technology that submarines use (and a mechanism similar to that used by dolphins). It emits a sound, which then bounces off the ocean floor and is captured by a microphone. But if the submarine’s hull is made of a material capable of absorbing sonar sound, the ship may be mistaken for a big mountain of sand instead of an artificial boat.

Indonesian Navy Chief Yudo Margono reported finding a fuel stain in the Bali Sea four hours after the vessel disappeared. And an object with “high magnetic force”, which could be the submarine, had been seen “floating” about 50 or 100 meters away.

Crew members may have released fuel for lighten the ship or to give signals of its location.

However, another explanation for the stain, he added, is that it is due to a tank rupture of fuel that sank the aircraft about 500 or 700 meters, where the water pressure is greater than the submersible’s hull could withstand. However, the place where the spill was located is where they focus research tasks.

According to information from the Indonesian Army, the submarine began the dive at 3.46 local time on Wednesday and about 15 minutes later began to load the number 8 torpedo tube. The last communication with the crew was took place at 4:25 a.m. local time and before authorizing the launch of the torpedo connection was lost with the ship.

Accidents without survivors

Underwater accidents are often disastrous. In 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk suffered internal explosions and sank during maneuvers in the Barents Sea. Most of its 118 crew members died instantly, but 23 men fled to an aft compartment before later dying, mostly from suffocation.

In November 2017, the Argentine submarine, the ARA San Juan, went missing with 44 crew members in the South Atlantic.

The research dragged on During months and it was not until almost a year later that his remains were found at a depth of 800 meters.

But in 2005, seven men aboard a Russian mini-submarine were rescued nearly three days after their ship was trapped by fishing nets and cables in the Pacific Ocean. They only had six hours of oxygen left before they reached the surface.

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