Argentina fires head of navy over submarine disappearance


Agencies | Published: December 17, 2017 11:19:34 | Updated: December 17, 2017 14:34:31


A bouquet of flowers and banners in support of the 44 crew members of the missing at sea ARA San Juan submarine are placed on a fence outside an Argentine naval base in Mar del Plata, Argentina November 25, 2017. - Reuters file photo

The head of the Argentine navy has been sacked following the loss of a submarine and its crew in the South Atlantic last month.

The defence minister placed Adm Marcelo Srur in retirement on Friday night, it has emerged.

The ARA San Juan disappeared on November 15 last with 44 crew on board after reporting an electrical problem off the coast of Patagonia.

Hope of rescuing survivors was abandoned on November 30. The navy said it searched for double the amount of time the submarine would have had oxygen. An international search for the submarine is still underway, according to a Reuters report.

The families of the missing have urged the government to keep looking for the submarine, describing the anguish of living with uncertainty since the rescue operation was wound up just over two weeks ago.

Some ships are still searching in an area where a loud noise was recorded in the hours following the disappearance - possible evidence that the submarine imploded.

President Mauricio Macri has created a special independent commission to investigate the disappearance of the submarine, following criticism about the handling of the operation, the BBC reports.

The commission will comprise three submariners - one the father of one of the disappeared crew.

Defence Minister Oscar Aguad has promised the investigation will be "transparent" and will have an unlimited budget.

"We ask that they always tell us the truth, that they keep us informed about what's happening," said Jorge Villareal, father of missing crew member Fernando, according to Efe news agency.

"We just find things out through the media."

Adm Srur, 60, was appointed by President Macri in January 2016.

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