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Argentina sacks the head of the Navy, first disciplinary action since the loss of ARA San Juan

Saturday, December 16th 2017 - 17:18 UTC
Full article 8 comments

Argentina fired the head of its navy a month after a submarine disappeared in the South Atlantic with 44 crew members onboard, a government spokesman said on Saturday. Local paper La Nacion had reported earlier, citing anonymous sources, that Navy Admiral Marcelo Eduardo Hipolito Srur was let go by the defense minister. Read full article

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  • Chicureo

    Obviously the Argentine admiralty must bear full responsibility for this disaster.
    There needs to be a serious criminal investigation of those at fault considering all the graft and corruption in military contracts with any responsible civil authorities to be prosecuted as well.

    Dec 16th, 2017 - 06:09 pm - Link - Report abuse +3
  • Frank

    I see the commander of Almirante Irizar says that - despite the $$$$$$ poured into her - she is not fit to go to Antarctica ... http://www.janes.com/article/76412/argentine-antarctic-campaign-in-jeopardy-without-platforms-for-resupply

    Dec 17th, 2017 - 04:09 am - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Enrique Massot

    Clarin published information from a one-year-old “secret” report that states that seawater was infiltrating loop wires in the radio system and that there were not appropriate flares to be used in an emergency. The sub, according to the report quoted by Clarin, had two buoys that were outdated, using a “frequency no compatible with current systems of communications.”

    Although information from Clarin must be taken with a grain of salt, perhaps the sacking of the admiral may have something to do with this alleged report.

    Dec 17th, 2017 - 05:03 am - Link - Report abuse -2
  • Marti Llazo

    @Frank “I see the commander of Almirante Irizar says that - despite the $$$$$$ poured into her - she is not fit to go to Antarctica ....”

    And the C-130 they try to use for re-supply to the argie base in British Antarctica isn't doing so well either. It was stuck here in Río Gallegos a few days ago.

    So the Uruguayan air force stepped up to bail out Argentina again, by delivering enough fuel with their C-130 to temporarily keep them from freezing in the dark. (where would these Third World backwaters be without those C-130s?) As if the lessons learned from the lost argie submarine were not enough (“don't tell anybody that we are having a little problem” ) now the argie air force is trying to enforce its own news blackout over the rather serious problems with their C-130 here. Word on the street here is that this aircraft suffered an engine fire and the brakes don't work properly. Oh, and Argentina is planning to do its own “upgrades” to its other C-130. (Vivir con lo nuestro, y morir y el intento).

    Word here is that the argies may not be able to resupply the “Marambio” and may have to either abandon it for the season or reduce the number of personnel there.

    Dec 17th, 2017 - 05:12 pm - Link - Report abuse +3
  • Chicureo

    Argentines are the only country that insists on maintaining separate air force, navy and army bases in Antarctica. Incredibly inefficient and unnecessary to say the least. But then, not surprizing.

    Other country bases will help out on an emergency basis, weather permitting.

    Dec 17th, 2017 - 06:14 pm - Link - Report abuse +3
  • imoyaro

    I think the reason Srur got the axe was the simple fact that the Defense Minister found out about the sub's disappearance from reading the paper, two days after the event. Srur was the head of training and recruitment for La Asesina before he got the top position after Macri removed the heads of the services upon taking office. As I said before, he was a political officer, and his behavior in this matter does bring a question as to his motives.

    Dec 18th, 2017 - 01:14 am - Link - Report abuse +1
  • MarkWhelan

    There may still be hope in finding the submarine, I just hope,for the families, it does not take as long asi it took Australia to find it's missing submarine.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-21/hmas-ae1-submarine-found-after-century-long-search/9278782

    Dec 21st, 2017 - 12:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • :o))

    Could they stick to using a flotilla of kayaks instead?
    Or are the kayaks too modern for Argentina?

    Dec 23rd, 2017 - 07:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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