Indonesian Submarine Crew Sing Farewell
The video was recorded as a farewell tribute for the outgoing commander of the Indonesian Navy’s submarine corps, whose successor took up his role in early March.
“Even though I’m not ready to be missing you, I’m not ready to live without you. I wish all the best for you,” they sing.
The Indonesian Military has confirmed that the man on the left facing the camera is the late Heri Oktavian, the commander of KRI Nanggala 402.
The submarine disappeared last week and the military (TNI) confirmed that the vessel had been found in pieces on the seafloor on April 25th. None of the 53 crew members survived the incident.
Authorities have not yet provided a full explanation for the accident, only saying the submarine may have suffered a blackout that left its crew unable to resurface. President Joko Widodo described the sailors as Indonesia’s “best patriots”.
Investigators are looking through the available evidence for reasons why the vessel sank in the circumstances it did. KRI Nanggala 402 was delivered to Indonesia in 1981, some believing its age may have played a role in its failure.
The navy says it is making plans to salvage the vessel and the bodies of the crew. The wreck’s location is more than 800m (2,600ft) deep and experts say recovering it from that depth will require specialist equipment.
Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the crew members who sadly lost their lives that day.