Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) expressed deepest sympathies and  sorrow over the incident of lost contact and the sinking of the Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala-402 reportedly missing in waters north of Bali on Wednesday (21/4). NU has also called on all people to pray for the safety of the 53 crew members of the submarine.

 

"All of us, as Indonesians, feel very deep sorrow for the sinking of KRI Nanggala-402 which carried 53 crew of Indonesian Navy soldiers who were on duty to carry out state duties in Bali waters," the Secretary General of NU H Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini told NU Online here on Thursday (22/4).

 

"For that reason, let us pray for the best, hopefully all the crew members of the KRI Nanggala-402 will be saved by Allah and may (all of their) families be given fortitude, patience, so that we could get accurate information that all (the crew members) are in good health," Helmy said.

 

In addition, the Nahdliyin based organization asked all parties not to carry out various speculations by making unsubstantiated analyzes. Because it would create confusing information, and even confuse the public.

 

NU hoped and fully entrusted the team having been formed by the TNI to work optimally in an effort to trace the whereabouts of the KRI Nanggala-402.

 

"As informed by the Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff that the disappeared KRI Nanggala-402 has 72 hours of oxygen reserve. It is for about three days and will end at 03.00 AM on Saturday, ” Helmy who was born in Cirebon, 48 years ago, said.

 

Helmy hoped, before the 72 hours the submarine could be found and the entire crew members could be saved. He called on Muslims and NU members (Nahdliyin) to read Sura Al-fatihah and to non-Muslims to pray according to their respective beliefs.

 

"Let's read Sura Al-Fatihah, and to the others, let's read the prayers according to our respective beliefs and religions, 'ala hadzihinniyyah Al-Fatihah," he concluded.

 

KRI Nanggala 402 was built in Germany in 1977, according to the defence ministry, and joined the Indonesian fleet in 1981. It underwent a two-year refit in South Korea that was completed in 2012.

 

The government said several countries had responded to requests for assistance, with Malaysia and Singapore sending ships and Australia offering "help in any way we can".

 

The US Defence Department is sending "airborne assets" to assist in the submarine search, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Twitter.

 

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to speak with Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto on Friday "to convey our sorrow and to discuss how else the United States can be of assistance," Kirby was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.

 

An aerial search found an oil spill near the submarine's dive location, and two navy vessels with sonar capability had been deployed to assist in the search, officials said.

 

Contributor: Aru Lego Triono
Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq