WATCH: Huge waves crash into ship searching for missing submarine
A rescue ship searching for a missing Argentine submarine that vanished five days ago has been battered by colossal waves.
Terrifying footage taken on-board the navy ship showed enormous waves crashing down as their desperate search for the missing sub continues.
Search vessels in the south Atlantic had picked up noises on their sonar that a senior navy source suggested could be coming from the [https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/37949632/desperate-search-for-missing-argentine-submarine-ara-san-juan/|sonar that could be coming from the crew of the submarine|crew of the submarine|popup=true].
However, officials have now confirmed that 'banging' noises were not from the missing craft.
The search has not been helped by the treacherous conditions. Source: Argentine Navy
The news comes as Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said the sub was carrying enough oxygen to spend seven days underwater, the ABC reports. It's been missing for five days.
Mr Enrique said after that, it would need to resurface to replenish air supply.
The brutal conditions filmed on-board the rescue ship have revealed just how difficult search is proving to be.
Search vessels in the South Atlantic have picked up noises on their sonar that could be coming from the crew of an Argentine submarine missing for five days. Source: AAP
The news on Monday raised hopes for the 44 crew members aboard the ARA San Juan, after earlier apparent distress calls were dismissed as not coming from the stricken vessel.
The noises were detected some 360 kilometres offshore in the relatively shallow water at the edge of Argentina's continental shelf, Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters.
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The noises sounded like tools being banged on the hull of a submarine to attract the attention of rescuers, according to CNN, who cited an unnamed senior US navy official familiar with the international search effort.
Meanwhile Mr Balbi said seven signals received by naval bases over the weekend were not attempted distress calls from the submarine, as previously hoped.
"We've received the report from the company that analysed the signals -- the seven attempted calls did not come from the submarine's satellite phone," he said.
"We have still been unable to contact them."
CNN reports the captain of the San Juan reported of a failure with the vessel's battery shortly before it disappeared.
Mar Del Plata Argentine naval base spokesman Gabriel Galeazzi said the captain also reported a short circuit and was told to "change course and return to Mar del Plata".
But he added this type of damage is considered routine and the crew were reported safe at the time.
