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Explosion Was Recorded Where Argentine Submarine Went Missing Explosion Was Recorded Where Argentine Submarine Went Missing
(35 minutes later)
MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — The Argentine Navy said on Thursday that a catastrophic explosion was recorded in the area where a submarine went missing on Nov. 15, immediately raising fears that the 44-member crew had perished.MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — The Argentine Navy said on Thursday that a catastrophic explosion was recorded in the area where a submarine went missing on Nov. 15, immediately raising fears that the 44-member crew had perished.
The nature of the explosion, which was described as an “anomalous, short, violent” event, was not immediately clear, but the disclosure dampened the hopes of a multinational team of rescuers who have been searching for the vessel, and immediately revived concerns about the worst outcome.The nature of the explosion, which was described as an “anomalous, short, violent” event, was not immediately clear, but the disclosure dampened the hopes of a multinational team of rescuers who have been searching for the vessel, and immediately revived concerns about the worst outcome.
Capt. Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy, said the international search team would continue to look for the vessel, the San Juan.Capt. Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the Argentine Navy, said the international search team would continue to look for the vessel, the San Juan.
“Until we don’t have certainty we’re going to carry on the search effort,” he said Wednesday morning.“Until we don’t have certainty we’re going to carry on the search effort,” he said Wednesday morning.
Upon hearing the news, relatives and sailors at the naval base in the Argentine city of Mar del Plata embraced and many broke down crying.Upon hearing the news, relatives and sailors at the naval base in the Argentine city of Mar del Plata embraced and many broke down crying.
Itatí Leguizamón, 29, the wife of Germán Suárez, 32, an engineer on the submarine, said the crew had been worried about the state of maintenance of the vessel.
“My husband told me there were problems,” she said.
Ms. Leguizamón said that she and other relatives felt the navy had withheld information during the search.
“They deceived us,” she said. “They manipulated us.”
Experts have said that if the San Juan was intact but submerged, its crew might have only enough oxygen to last seven to 10 days.Experts have said that if the San Juan was intact but submerged, its crew might have only enough oxygen to last seven to 10 days.
The United States Navy, which is helping with the search, shared the information about the catastrophic explosion with the Argentines on Wednesday, according to Captain Balbi.The United States Navy, which is helping with the search, shared the information about the catastrophic explosion with the Argentines on Wednesday, according to Captain Balbi.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, a Vienna-based organization that monitors seismic activity across the globe for signs of nuclear tests, supplied corroborating information about the explosion, via the Argentine ambassador in Austria, on Thursday morning.The International Atomic Energy Agency, a Vienna-based organization that monitors seismic activity across the globe for signs of nuclear tests, supplied corroborating information about the explosion, via the Argentine ambassador in Austria, on Thursday morning.
After analyzing the two pieces of information, the Argentine Navy broke the news initially to relatives and then, minutes later, to journalists assembled at a base in Mar del Plata.After analyzing the two pieces of information, the Argentine Navy broke the news initially to relatives and then, minutes later, to journalists assembled at a base in Mar del Plata.
The submarine was not armed with nuclear weapons and the explosion was not believed to have involved a nuclear weapon, Captain Balbi said.The submarine was not armed with nuclear weapons and the explosion was not believed to have involved a nuclear weapon, Captain Balbi said.
The two reports about an explosion — from the United States Navy and from the International Atomic Energy Agency — each provided a radius of about 77 miles, and that area is now being searched, Captain Balbi said.The two reports about an explosion — from the United States Navy and from the International Atomic Energy Agency — each provided a radius of about 77 miles, and that area is now being searched, Captain Balbi said.
He said there was no way of knowing what had caused the accident.He said there was no way of knowing what had caused the accident.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have that information: what may have been the cause in that location, on that day, of an event of these characteristics,” Captain Balbi said.“Unfortunately, we don’t have that information: what may have been the cause in that location, on that day, of an event of these characteristics,” Captain Balbi said.
The news on Thursday followed a string of reports that had raised and then dashed the hopes of the sailors’ families.The news on Thursday followed a string of reports that had raised and then dashed the hopes of the sailors’ families.
They included an account about satellite phone calls having been made from the submarine, which turned out to be false, and recordings of sounds that were described in news reports as possibly having come from sailors banging on the hull of the vessel to alert rescuers. That report, too, turned out to be unfounded.They included an account about satellite phone calls having been made from the submarine, which turned out to be false, and recordings of sounds that were described in news reports as possibly having come from sailors banging on the hull of the vessel to alert rescuers. That report, too, turned out to be unfounded.