Missing Argentine sub's crew honoured at memorial service

Argentine Cabinet officials have honoured the crew of the submarine ARA San Juan, which disappeared last month, during a naval ceremony here.

"Our respect and our recognition go out to the families," Defence Minister Oscar Aguad said at the ceremony on Tuesday marking the departure of the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar on the 2017-2018 Antarctic Summer Campaign.

"Let us remember the 44 countrymen from the submarine San Juan because they represent courage and the defence of our interests at sea, in our continental sea," Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie said.

The ARA San Juan's crew was on a tactical mission that was essential for protecting Argentina's maritime lanes, Aguad was quoted as saying by Efe news.

Ships from several countries continue searching for the submarine in an area about 400 km off Argentina's coast but no trace of the missing vessel has been found.

On Monday, the Navy said it was trying to determine whether three objects found at sea were from the submarine. The objects were found on Sunday at different depths.

The ARA San Juan, a TR-1700-class submarine built in Germany, last made contact with the Navy command on November 15 while travelling from the southern port of Ushuaia to its base in Mar del Plata, near Buenos Aires.

--IANS

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