The Philippines on Monday conveyed its sympathy to Indonesia over the loss of 53 crewmen of an Indonesian naval submarine that sank off the coast of Bali last week.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who just arrived from Jakarta where he attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Special Leaders Summit, expressed his message of sympathy in a tweet.
“Our deepest sympathies to the people and President of Indonesia and to the families of the brave navy men they and their country lost,” the foreign secretary tweeted.
On Sunday, the Indonesian navy submarine KRI-Nanggala-402 has been found deep in the Bali sea, broken into three parts, with all its 53 crew declared dead by authorities.
The 44-year-old submarine initially lost contact on Wednesday, April 21, while it was preparing to conduct a torpedo drill.
“Our prayers continue for the eternal repose of their souls,” Locsin said.
Locsin attended the ASEAN leaders’ meeting held in the Indonesia capital over the weekend to represent President Duterte who decided to stay home to oversee the spiraling COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in the country.
Aside from participating in the ASEAN Summit, Locsin also held bilateral talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi in Jakarta.