The Argentine Defense Ministry reported
“We received seven signals from satellite calls
that originated from the San Juan submarine... The Defense Ministry...is
working with an American company that specializes in satellite communication to
determine the exact location of the signals."
The [signals] lasted between four and 36 seconds in the late morning and early afternoon on Saturday ([18 November 2017] local time). Apparently, and so far, these signals failed to establish San Juan’s location.
The [signals] lasted between four and 36 seconds in the late morning and early afternoon on Saturday ([18 November 2017] local time). Apparently, and so far, these signals failed to establish San Juan’s location.
The US has sent
one or two small deep submergence rescue submarine systems (see Photo 2 and Artwork below) to Argentina. These systems must be deployed from specially fitted-out ships to operate in the search
area.
COMMENTS-2
As indicated in COMMENTS-1 yesterday Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacons EPIRBs form one means of search and rescue communication that San Juan likely has/had. San Juan may also have even more effective naval floating rescue buoys which may be attached by thin cable to San Juan and automatically released in the event of a serious accident or sinking. No crewman need be alive to release the buoy that then transmits messages/calls/signals automatically.
An EPIRB (see Photo 1 below) is a type of transmitter which can float. An EPIRB's signals, through satellite
triangulation, can provide an approximate or exact location of the people or the craft, who manually or automatically turned on the EPIRB.
However, unfortunately an EPIRB/rescue buoy can float and transmit independently of the fate of San Juan:
- an EPIRB/rescue buoy may have been
automatically released by San Juan as San Juan fatally
sunk
- an EPIRB/rescue buoy would normally be programmed
to send out regular distress signals, even if there are no human
operators present
- maybe it is possible some crew
may be floating, maybe with an EPIRB
- hopefully there is a thin cable
(see Photo 1 below) connecting San Juan to an
EPIRB/rescue buoy.
- Such a thin cable may permit exact
location of San Juan even
if San Juan is
on the seafloor
- if there is no thin cable an
EPIRB/rescue buoy may have floated many miles away from San Juan’s, likely
seafloor, location
- as EPIRBs only cost a few hundred dollars
they are very commonly carried by ships and even small fishing boats. So
their transmissions may not be related to the fate of San
Juan.
[Regarding the final point above, The [UK] Guardian subsequently reported on 21 November, 2017: "None of the communications on Saturday [18 November 2017] were from the San Juan,” [Argentine Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi] told reporters. News of the attempted calls were disclosed on Sunday, but they turned out to be from another ship broadcasting on the same frequency employed by the San Juan, Balbi said."]
[Regarding the final point above, The [UK] Guardian subsequently reported on 21 November, 2017: "None of the communications on Saturday [18 November 2017] were from the San Juan,” [Argentine Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi] told reporters. News of the attempted calls were disclosed on Sunday, but they turned out to be from another ship broadcasting on the same frequency employed by the San Juan, Balbi said."]
Photo 1 - A floating Emergency Position
Indicator Radio Beacon EPIRB
used to indicate location of a sailor in a raft. Note the thin cable
connecting EPIRB to raft. If an EPIRB (or similar naval floating rescue buoy)
is connected to San Juan there may be some hope. (Photo courtesy http://www.buratajiem.lv/vairak/drosiba-uz-udens/noderigi-padomi/item/240-epirb-izvele) .
Photo 2 - Heavy US transport aircraft are reportedly delivering submarine rescue systems to Argentina. A remotely
operated, deep diving, pressurized rescue module (PRM) may form part of a the
San Juan rescue mission (Photo courtesy US Navy via USNI)
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Artwork - It is also likely
the US Navy has flown Bluefin-21 or similar autonomous underwater
vehicles (AUVs) to Argentina to aid in the search for San Juan. AUVs can “see” submarines on
the seafloor using side-scan sonar and other sensors. (Image courtesy General
Dynamics Marine Systems).
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Submarine ARA San Juan was travelling north from Ushuaia to the main submarine base at Mar Del Plata when it vanished (Map courtesy the Daily Mail (Australia Edition).
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Submarine ARA San Juan was travelling north from Ushuaia to the main submarine base at Mar Del Plata when it vanished (Map courtesy the Daily Mail (Australia Edition).
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Pete
I agree with you that any chance of survival in the very cold and hostile Southern Ocean would be miraculous.
ReplyDeleteKQN