Water seeped into the ARA San Juan submarine's "snorkel" —the snorkel system that allows a submarine to operate normally while submerged, allowing air to escape from the surface of the sea, causing a short circuit in the battery before his disappearance on November 15, became known by a representative of the Argentine Navy.
In particular, before disappearing, the submarine had received orders to return to the naval base Mar del Plata after reporting that water had entered the boat through the ventilator, causing a short circuit in its battery, Enrique Balbi explained in a press conference .
"They had to isolate the battery and continue on their way under the sea to Mar del Plata, using another battery," added Balbi.
As authorities intensively continue to search for the submarine, confrontations begin between the relatives of the 44 crew members. On the one hand are those who refuse to give up hope, on the other those who say it is time to accept that their loved ones will not return alive.
Some of the relatives point out that they are focusing on the lack of tangible evidence that there was an underwater explosion and the possibility that the submarine had managed to rise close enough to the surface to be fed back with oxygen after its traces were lost.
However, Itati Legisamon states that she believes that her husband is dead.
"There is no way they can be alive," she told reporters in a trembling voice, unable to hold back her tears.
"It's not something I want. I love him, I adore him. "He left his mother and sister behind, but it makes no sense for me to be stubborn."
"Other families are attacking me for what I support," she said.
"But why haven't they found it yet? Why don't they tell us the truth? " he wondered.