Signals detected from missing Argentine submarine

International Desk: Signals have been detected which are believed to have come from an Argentine navy submarine that vanished in the South Atlantic.

Hopes that the 44 crew members may be found alive rose after the defense ministry said the vessel likely tried to communicate via satellite on Saturday.

A search operation was launched to trace the ARA San Juan, which sent its last signal on Wednesday.

The ministry said seven failed "satellite calls" that it believes came from the submarine were detected in a likely sign the crew was trying to reestablish contact.

The signals, in the late morning and early afternoon, lasted between four and 36 seconds, the ministry said.

Argentina is working on tracing the location with an unnamed US company specialised in satellite communications, the ministry said.

The satellite communications were believed to have failed because of bad weather.

It was not immediately clear what type of calls the vessel may have tried to make but submarines that are stricken underwater can float a location beacon known as an EPIRB to the surface that can then emit emergency signals via satellite.

Britain is among the countries which has offered support, and Argentina's president has said the government has been in touch with the families of crew members.

The navy stepped up its efforts the find the missing submarine in stormy conditions on Friday night.

It was 268 miles from the Patagonian coast when it sent its last signal, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said.

The emergency operation was formally upgraded to a search-and-rescue procedure on Friday evening after no visual or radar contact was made with the submarine, Balbi said.

"Detection has been difficult despite the quantity of boats and aircraft" involved in the search, he said, noting that heavy winds and high waves were complicating efforts.

"Obviously, the number of hours that have passed - two days in which there has been no communication - is of note."

The navy believes the submarine had communication difficulties that may have been caused by an electrical outage, Balbi said.

Navy protocol would call for the submarine to come to the surface once communication was lost.

"We expect that it is on the surface," Balbi said.

The German-built submarine, which uses diesel-electric propulsion, was inaugurated in 1983, making it the newest of the three submarines in the navy's fleet, according to the navy.

President Mauricio Macri said the government was in contact with the crew's families.

"We share their concern and that of all Argentines," he wrote on Twitter.

"We are committed to using all national and international resources necessary to find the ARA San Juan submarine as soon as possible."

Argentina accepted an offer from the United States for a NASA P-3 explorer aircraft, which had been stationed in the southern city of Ushuaia and was preparing to depart to Antarctica, to fly over the search area, Balbi said.

A Hercules C-130 from the Argentine Air Force was also flying over the operational area. Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Britain and South Africa had also formally offered assistance.

Agencies



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