'I had a bad feeling': Devastated family of submarine crew hit out at navy after told of 'explosion'
An apparent explosion occurred near the time and place an Argentine submarine went missing, the country’s navy reported Thursday — an ominous development that prompted relatives of the 44 crew members to burst into tears, and some to say they had lost all hope of rescue.
Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said the search will continue until there is full certainty about the fate of the ARA San Juan. He said evidence showed “an anomalous event that was singular, short, violent and non-nuclear that was consistent with an explosion.”
The submarine was 432 kilometres off Argentina's coast before contact was lost more than a week ago.
Distraught family members of the crew slammed the quality of the submarine, after gathering at the base to receive psychological counselling.
“They sent a piece of crap to sail,” Itati Leguizamon, wife of submarine crew member German Suarez added.
“They inaugurated a submarine with a coat of paint and a flag in 2014, but without any equipment inside.
"The navy is to blame for its 15 years of abandonment.”
Dozens of planes and boats have participated in the search for the ARA San Juan, a mission that has plunged relatives of the sailors into an anguished wait for news and transfixed the South American country of 44 million people.
"According to this report, there was an explosion,” Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said.
“We don’t know what caused an explosion of these characteristics at this site on this date.”
Relatives of the crew broke into tears and hugged each other after they received the news.
Some clung to a fence crowded with blue-and-white Argentine flags, rosary beads and messages of support.
Hopes were buoyed after brief satellite calls were received and when sounds were detected deep in the South Atlantic. But experts later determined that neither was from the missing sub.
“They haven’t come back and they will never come back,” said Jesica Gopar, wife of submarine officer Fernando Santilli, choking back tears.
“I had a bad feeling about this and now it has been confirmed.”
The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in 1985 and was most recently refit in 2014.
During the $12 million retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced. Experts say that refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers and even the smallest mistake during the cutting phase of the operation can put the safety of the ship and the crew at risk.
