The navy chief said the other vessels that had been involved in the drill including 21 warships, two submarines and five planes had joined the frantic search.
If the submarine had sunk too deep, however, the outlook was grim, according to Indonesian defence analyst Connie Rahakundini Bakrie.
“If it lies at that depth I have to say with a heavy heart that the steel structure of the vessel won’t be strong,” she said.
Former submariner Frank Owen, who is secretary of the Submarine Institute of Australia, said another complicating factor was there were more people on board than the normal crew capacity of 34 and oxygen reserves would be depleted faster than usual.
Indonesian submarine search: Time running out for submariners
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空军A330多用途添油运输军机取得全面作战能力资格
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王瑞杰请辞第四代团队领军人物
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