Many theories have been put forward but authorities now say there is evidence an underwater wave — that can exert an intense vertical pull below the sea surface — occurred in the Bali Sea around the very time the submarine disappeared last Wednesday morning.
The sub was passing through dangerous waters . The Lombok Strait between the islands of Bali and Lombok is said to be famous for generating intense internal waves on an almost fortnightly basis. NASA, the US space administration, said the combination of strong tidal currents, a rough ocean floor and the exchange of water between two channels — one shallow and one deep — “tend to combine about every 14 days to create an exceptionally strong tidal flow”.
Indonesian navy officials believe this natural phenomenon is a more likely explanation for the submarine disaster than other theories put forward in recent days.
