Argentinian President Pledges to Continue Search for Missing Submarine

Last week, Argentinian Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi announced that the country ended the rescue operation for the crew of the missing ARA San Juan submarine, but would continue the search for the underwater craft.

On Wednesday, Argentinian President Mauricio Macri has pledged to proceed with the search operation for the missing San Juan submarine that went off the radar in mid-November.

"We will continue search [for the submarine]," Macri said at a press conference in the Argentinian province of Entre Rios.

Contact with the San Juan submarine was lost on November 15, when it was on its way from the port of Ushuaia to the city of Mar del Plata. The submarine's crew comprised 44 members, including Argentine's first female submariner Eliana Maria Krawczyk.

Increíble reacción la del perro de Eliana, única tripulante mujer del ARA San Juan, el submarino desaparecido.

Cada vez que su dueña se embarcaba en la nave subacuática el can la iba a despedir.

y siguen diciendo que estos animales no tienen sentimientos… pic.twitter.com/bO2E4lwbIt

— Ibon Perez TV (@ibonpereztv) 6 декабря 2017 г.

The oxygen supply of the crew was intended for six days. According to media, the crew members reported on some technical problems during the last established contact.

Russian Vessel Starts Search for ARA San Juan

The Russian oceanographic vessel Yantar arrived in the search area earlier in the day to join the rescue mission for Argentina’s missing ARA San Juan submarine with the use of its hi-tech sensors, Argentine Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said on Wednesday.

"[The vessel] is searching the seabed with its hi-tech sensors … using its dynamic positioning system, which allows [the vessel] to maintain stable position, despite the meteorological conditions," Balbi said at a press conference.

El buque ruso Yantar ya se sumó a las operaciones que se desarrollan en la zona de búsqueda del submarino ARA San Juan pic.twitter.com/XZZiNuYa27

— jorge héctor santos (@santosjorgeh) 6 декабря 2017 г.

The Yantarl's equipment allows for the search to be conducted in extremely deep waters.

"We believe in the dynamic positioning system of the Russian vessel and its deep water equipment … We do not have any set terms [to stop the search], we need to be patient and allow Yantar and its high-sensitivity sensors search for the submarine," Balbi pointed out.

On November 30, the Argentine Navy announced the end of the rescue activities, however the mission to locate the vessel is ongoing.