WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States has begun scaling back efforts to locate a missing submarine from Argentina after more than a month of unsuccessful searches with aircraft, submersibles, sonar buoys and an underwater rescue team, US Southern Command announced in a press release on Wednesday.
"The United States will begin to draw down operations assisting the search for the Argentine submarine A.R.A. San Juan in the South Atlantic today, after completing its support to requests by the government of Argentina," the release said. “Despite their best efforts on behalf of the Argentine people and the families of the missing sailors, this international effort has yet to locate the ARA San Juan.”
US analytical specialists will continue to support search efforts with data analysis, the release said.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement of a draw-down in US search efforts, American contributions included three advanced aircraft, over 200 search and rescue personnel, four submersibles, one specialized underwater rescue unit, one ship, more than 400 sonar buoys and the world’s most advanced sonar system, which was mounted on Argentine vessels, the release said.
Earlier this week, sonar discovered a new contact, which is being investigated by a remotely operated Russian Panther Plus submarine, while a US oceanographic research vessel continues examining the search area, according to published reports.
