US Navy Transitions to Search and Recovery in Search for ARA San Juan

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Story Number: NNS171201-23Release Date: 12/1/2017

By Lt. Lyndsi Gutierrez, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) — Two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) and the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) from the Undersea Rescue Command that were assisting Argentina in the search for Argentine submarine, ARA San Juan, completed operations Nov 30.

MISSING SUBMARINE ARA SAN JUAN: CTBTO DATA SUGGESTS EXPLOSION MAY HAVE OCCURRED

Continuing with the transition of operations to search and recovery, the U.S. Navy deployed the Cable operated Unmanned Recovery Vehicle (CURV) 21 to support the ongoing Argentine search efforts onboard R/V Atlantis.

The CURV-21 is a 6,400-pound Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that is designed to meet the U.S. Navy’s deep ocean salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet of seawater, and is due to arrive in Argentina, Dec. 1.

171201-N-HS500-031 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Dec. 1, 2017). The U.S. Navy cable-controlled Undersea Recovery Vehicle (CURVE-21) is offloaded at the Comodoro Rivadavia airport Dec. 1, 2017. The CURVE will be used in support of the Argentinean Navy search and rescue efforts of the ARA San Juan (S-42) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Lange/Released).

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The two P-8’s, along with sailors from the Patrol Squadron (VP) 5, VP-10, VP-45, VP-26, and Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, arrived in Bahia Blanca, Argentina Nov 17 and Nov 19.

VP-5 will return to El Salvador’s Comalapa Air Base and resume the counter-illicit trafficking maritime patrol operations they were conducting prior to responding to Argentina’s request for help. VP-10, VP-26, VP-45, and CPRW-11 personnel will return to their home station at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.

The URC deployed two independent rescue assets, the SRC and the PRM, Nov. 18. URC will return to their home station in San Diego, California.

For more information, visit http://www.southcom.mil/Media/Special-Coverage/US-Military-Support-to-Argentina-Submarine-Search/