Unidentified underwater objects found in Indonesian waters near Gili Trawangan and other strategic straits

Indonesian fishers recently discovered three unidentified underwater objects in the country's waters in April. On April 6, a 3.7-meter, torpedo-shaped device with a China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation logo was found north of Gili Trawangan in the Lombok Strait. A week later, another elongated object was recovered near the Tanakeke Islands off South Sulawesi, between the Lombok and Makassar straits. On April 20, a yellow torpedo-shaped device, approximately two meters long, was found off Kangean Island, just north of the Lombok Strait. These discoveries are significant due to their location in or near Indonesia’s Archipelagic Sea Lane II, a crucial corridor connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans via the Makassar and Lombok straits. Earlier finds include Chinese Sea Wing underwater gliders in January and December 2020, also close to the sea lane. The Lombok Strait, over 250 meters deep, and the Makassar Strait provide a viable deep-water corridor for submerged transit. The recurrence of these objects suggests ongoing data collection in these strategically important waters, which can aid in submarine navigation and operations. Indonesian government investigations are ongoing, and international rules for uncrewed submerged transit through designated archipelagic sea lanes remain unsettled. The straits are attractive for data collection due to oceanographic hazards, their role as strategic bottlenecks, and their limited size, making detailed data collection more practical.