Argentine submarine wreck found one year after disappearance
The crushed wreckage of an Argentine submarine has been located one year after it vanished into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with 44 crew members, in the country's worst naval disaster in decades.
There has been ‘positive identification of the ARA San Juan,’ at a depth of more than 800m (2,600ft), the navy tweeted, confirming the vessel had imploded.
Experts say raising the submarine would be an enormous undertaking costing a billion dollars or more. Defence Minister Oscar Aguad said Argentina had ‘no means’ to do so.
The Seabed Constructor, a ship owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, made the discovery 16 November, one day after the first anniversary of the disappearance of the San Juan.
The ship had set out in September in the latest attempt to find the San Juan, whose disappearance cost the Argentinian Navy's top officer his job.
The navy lost contact with the submarine on 15 November, 2017, about 450km from the coast while it was travelling northward from Ushuaia, at Argentina's southern tip.
Adml Jose Villan, the navy's new top commander, said that the rough terrain on the ocean floor made it difficult for search vessels, which had already trawled the site, to find the sub.
Pieces that were 11m, 13m and 30m long were spotted in a ‘moon-like zone with craters and canyons,’ said Capt Enrique Balbi, adding that the hull had been ‘crushed inwards.’
Aguad met earlier with family members to show photos taken by an underwater robot. They showed a propeller, the sub's bow with torpedo-launching tubes, and an upper section of the vessel lying on the ocean floor.
More from Defence Notes
-
Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft
The procurement and acceleration production plans – some of which still await approval – across the air and land domains will aim to strengthen the operational needs of the Israel Defense Forces.
-
US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities
This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.
-
Australia’s Exercise Talisman Sabre concludes after a series of firsts
More than 40,000 military personnel from 19 participating nations took part in the 11th iteration of the biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre multi-domain event which was held across Australia and in Papua New Guinea.
-
US Africa Command targets logistic solutions
AFRICOM is seeking IT systems and supply chain management solutions to enhance interoperability and standardise logistical processes in its area of responsibility.
-
Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending
Germany’s Rheinmetall released its 1H 2025 results on 7 August, continuing the strong growth of recent years. A particular highlight of the result’s presentation was the Skyranger air defence system for which the company is predicting sales of about US$8.2 billion from the German Government before the end of the year.
-
Defence companies continue to ride procurement wave
Vehicle and technology companies are reporting substantial growth compared to the first half of 2024. Italy’s Fincantieri saw revenues jump 24% for the first half of the year compared to 2024 and Thales up 6.8% for the same period. General Dynamics reported second quarter revenue growth of 8.9% for the second quarter compared to last year and MilDef reported organic order intake growth of 58%.