Argentina does not give up hope on missing submarine

The Argentine Navy has not given up hope that the crew of the submarine ARA San Juan may still be alive after 11 days missing.

The ARA San Juan submarine in Buenos Aires in 2014. Photo: AFP.

Argentine navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said yesterday that they still do not rule out the possibility of "extreme survival situations", AP reported.

Previously, Argentine authorities speculated that the disappearance of the ARA San Juan submarine was related to an explosion and that the oxygen on board was only enough for 10 days.

So far, no sign of the ship has been found, but Mr. Balbi said the international search effort would continue.

Responding to suggestions that the ARA San Juan was not safe to sail, Balbi said the ship's entire operating system had been inspected two days before it departed.

"The ship will not depart until the inspection is complete. If it has departed, it means it is qualified to do so," he stressed.

The Argentine Navy submarine ARA San Juan, carrying 44 sailors, lost contact on November 15 while patrolling in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina.

Argentina is expanding the search for the missing submarine, while conductinglarge-scale investigation. Ships and aircraft from several countries including the US, UK, Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay are also participating in the effort.

According to VNE