US Exits Search for ARA San Juan

Posted by Eric Haun January 2, 2018

U.S. Navy owned research vessel R/V Atlantis deploys the cable-controlled Undersea Recovery Vehicle (CURV-21) during night operations. The CURV is designed to meet the U.S. Navy's deep ocean recovery requirements down to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet, and was used to support the Argentine Navy's search for the ARA San Juan (S-42). (U.S. Navy photo by Alex Cornell du Houx)

The U.S. Navy said it has begun to wind down operations as part of the international search for the still-missing Argentine submarine A.R.A. San Juan that vanished in the South Atlantic in mid November.

The U.S. joined the Argentina-led multinational search efforts within 24 hours of learning of the missing submarine on November 17, and is now drawing down, having twice swept the search areas assigned by the Argentine Navy with advanced sensors.

U.S. planning and analytical specialists will continue to support the efforts through data analysis.

At its height, U.S. contributions to the search and rescue effort included more than 200 search and rescue personnel, four submersibles, one specialized underwater rescue unit, three aircraft, one ship and more than 400 sonar buoys dropped in support of the operation. The U.S. also provided the most advanced sonar system in the world, which was mounted on Argentine search vessels.