Internal solitary waves as a submarine hazard

Could an internal solitary wave have contributed to the loss of the Indonesian submarine?

It was one possible mechanism discussed at the time, but the cause remained unknown pending evidence from the wreck and investigation.

At the time of this discussion, the submarine's loss had no established cause. One possibility raised was an internal solitary wave, a large underwater motion produced along the boundary between water layers of different density. Such a wave can create powerful vertical movement and might force an already diving submarine deeper faster than its crew expects. The mechanism is related to underwater currents but describes a more organized wave motion within the sea. The explanation remains explicitly provisional until wreck recovery and other evidence can test it.