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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Search Underway for Argentine Navy Submarine With 44 Aboard | Search Underway for Argentine Navy Submarine With 44 Aboard |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| BUENOS AIRES — Military ships and aircraft searched off the coast of Argentina on Friday for an Argentine Navy submarine missing for two days, officials said. | BUENOS AIRES — Military ships and aircraft searched off the coast of Argentina on Friday for an Argentine Navy submarine missing for two days, officials said. |
| The vessel, which was patrolling off Patagonia with 44 crew members, last made radio contact on Wednesday morning, Capt. Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy, said in a television interview. | The vessel, which was patrolling off Patagonia with 44 crew members, last made radio contact on Wednesday morning, Capt. Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy, said in a television interview. |
| Two planes were deployed Thursday afternoon to begin searching for the submarine, the San Juan, one of three in Argentina’s fleet. Rescuers were hindered by poor visibility and they resumed the search Friday morning using vessels as well as aircraft. | Two planes were deployed Thursday afternoon to begin searching for the submarine, the San Juan, one of three in Argentina’s fleet. Rescuers were hindered by poor visibility and they resumed the search Friday morning using vessels as well as aircraft. |
| The submarine’s last known location was 240 nautical miles off the coast, according to the Navy. | The submarine’s last known location was 240 nautical miles off the coast, according to the Navy. |
| The San Juan was traveling from the Patagonian city of Ushuaia to Mar del Plata, in Buenos Aires province, conducting a routine security patrol. Submarines often ply the Argentine coast to detect illegal fishing. | The San Juan was traveling from the Patagonian city of Ushuaia to Mar del Plata, in Buenos Aires province, conducting a routine security patrol. Submarines often ply the Argentine coast to detect illegal fishing. |
| Sailors who served aboard submarines called the lengthy disappearance highly unusual. | Sailors who served aboard submarines called the lengthy disappearance highly unusual. |
| “This has never happened to us before,” said Pedro Alcaraz, a 30-year submarine veteran who retired in 1997 as a chief petty officer. “We’ve lost communication for many different reasons, but never for this long.” | “This has never happened to us before,” said Pedro Alcaraz, a 30-year submarine veteran who retired in 1997 as a chief petty officer. “We’ve lost communication for many different reasons, but never for this long.” |
| The United States, Chile and United Kingdom offered logistical support, according to Argentina’s foreign ministry. But so far no foreign militaries have joined the search, according to a Defense Ministry official. | The United States, Chile and United Kingdom offered logistical support, according to Argentina’s foreign ministry. But so far no foreign militaries have joined the search, according to a Defense Ministry official. |
| One of the crew members, Eliana María Krawczyk, is Argentina’s first female submarine officer. Her father, Eduardo Krawczyk, told the Todo Noticias network on Friday that the family was hoping for the best. | One of the crew members, Eliana María Krawczyk, is Argentina’s first female submarine officer. Her father, Eduardo Krawczyk, told the Todo Noticias network on Friday that the family was hoping for the best. |
| “Let’s pray together for everything to be resolved and for nothing to have happened to anyone in the crew,” he said. “In the sea, they’re all brothers. It’s not like a boat that sails on the surface. Submarines have greater risks.” | “Let’s pray together for everything to be resolved and for nothing to have happened to anyone in the crew,” he said. “In the sea, they’re all brothers. It’s not like a boat that sails on the surface. Submarines have greater risks.” |
| The rescue mission on Friday included three ships, the destroyer Sarandi, which has a helicopter onboard, and the corvettes Rosales and Drummond. Argentine officials also asked civilian vessels in the area to monitor for possible radio signals from the sub. | |
| Navy officials attempted to downplay the severity of the situation after news outlets broke news of the search early Friday morning. | Navy officials attempted to downplay the severity of the situation after news outlets broke news of the search early Friday morning. |
| “We are not talking about an emergency right now, but rather we are handling it as a loss of communication with the submarine,” Rear Adm. Gabriel Martín González, who oversees submarine crews, told reporters gathered outside the naval base in Mar del Plata. | “We are not talking about an emergency right now, but rather we are handling it as a loss of communication with the submarine,” Rear Adm. Gabriel Martín González, who oversees submarine crews, told reporters gathered outside the naval base in Mar del Plata. |
| But concern is growing over the crew’s fate, especially since their vessel had backup systems if the main communications equipment failed, and should have been able to send a distress signal. | But concern is growing over the crew’s fate, especially since their vessel had backup systems if the main communications equipment failed, and should have been able to send a distress signal. |
| “As the hours tick on, one starts to be inclined to think we may be talking about a tragedy — but there is still hope,” said Fernando Morales, a navy expert and vice president of the Argentine Navy League. “For now what we’re speculating is that it is floating” and has not sunk. | “As the hours tick on, one starts to be inclined to think we may be talking about a tragedy — but there is still hope,” said Fernando Morales, a navy expert and vice president of the Argentine Navy League. “For now what we’re speculating is that it is floating” and has not sunk. |