A US Navy plane may have located the position of the Argentine Navy submarine ARA San Juan which has been missing since last Wednesday. Sensors aboard the plane detected a ‘heat stain’ at 230 ft below the surface, roughly 185 miles off the east coast of Argentina. A rescue vessel involved in the search also picked up a sonar signal late Tuesday night.
Time is running out for the 44 crew members on the submarine, which reportedly has a seven day supply of oxygen. If the submarine sank or was disabled a week ago, the oxygen supply could be very close to being exhausted.
Why searching so far from last known position and in direction to deep sea, instead of the shore ?
Hope International efforts would give positive results…
My best sentiments and hope are with all 44 missing !
They thought they found it almost 9 hours ago, by now the air may have run-out. I say air because if the sub were filled with oxygen, any spark and the sub would blow-up.
Argentine submarine latest: Hope for missing crew dwindles as …
The Independent-56 minutes ago
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/argentina-submarine-latest-news-missing-crew-death-fears-oxygen-supply-a8070466.html
Back in nautical school in the 1960’s I remember learning about “subsunk”. As a Watchkeeping Officer in the British Merchant Navy one had to be aware of sighting many possible things at sea and knowing how to respond to them. Subsunk involved releasing a buoy from the distressed boat to the surface. In turn this yellow buoy released visible and radio distress signals. One would have thought this Argentine boat would have had this capability. These days the transmitted signal would no doubt be much more sophisticated than those of the 1960’s.
Good Watch
My heart goes to Argentina and their sailors. I spent many good days with the Argentine military–very kind and professional military.