Mysterious Object Photos Go Viral on Indonesian Social Media
According to local media, the images were captured by workers on an offshore oil rig in the Natuna Sea. This area is a vast, shallow basin located in the southern part of the South China Sea and primarily falls within Indonesia’s territorial waters.
Image of the tank drifting at sea. (Photo: RT)
One of the images shows a tank floating on the water, with its turret and gun clearly visible. The vehicle appears to be heavily rusted, but some external equipment remains intact, including fresh water canisters and a towing cable, according to RT.
Another photo depicts the tank at sea with Indonesia’s OPS Astrid pollution control ship in the background. The ship attempted to approach the floating object but was unable to do so due to rough seas.
The unusual incident has been acknowledged by the Indonesian military, which has provided somewhat inconsistent information.
On December 19, Lieutenant Colonel Saul Jamlaay told local media that there indeed was an appearance of a “tank-like object” and that “the object is not dangerous.” This official claimed that the tank-shaped object belonged to a local oil company and had drifted away from an offshore rig.
However, on December 20, Admiral Julius Widjojono provided a different account. He stated that the origin of the tank is still unclear and that the navy is actively searching for the drifting object.
