Argentine Navy Dispensing False Hope

COMMENT

The Argentine Navy, to protect its reputation and its Government’s reputation, is remaining vague and dispensing false hope. Memories associating the naval disasters of the Malvinas/Falkland's War and the fall of the Argentine Government are still strong. 

A submarine that explodes deep underwater, quickly implodes, leaving very small fragments which may take months to be detected (amongst older wrecked vessels and discarded metal) and would then need to be judged as the remains of San Juan.

On 24 November 2017:

"Argentine Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said evidence showed "an anomalous event that was singular, short, violent and non-nuclear that was consistent with an explosion".

"According to this report, there was an explosion," Mr Balbi told reporters.

"We don't know what caused an explosion of these characteristics at this site on this date."

But he said the search would continue until there was full certainty about the fate of the ARA San Juan, which has been missing for nine days.

[But it took a former US Navy captain to clarify] “The implosion of a submarine that falls deeper than its "crush depth" would make such a sound”, according to one former US navy captain."

COMMENT

Despite worldwide recognition that a submarine explosion/implosion occurred the Argentine Navy is still pushing hope that the crew could have survived.

On 26 November 2017

"Asked by a reporter about the chances the crew may still be alive, Mr Balbi left that as a possibility.

"We've been searching for 11 days but that does not remove the chance that they could still be in an extreme survival situation," Mr Balbi said."

Balbi places himself in a patriotic pose in front of the Sun of May on Argentina's flag.