The trial of four former high-ranking Argentine navy officers began Tuesday in a court in Argentina’s southern province of Santa Cruz, with prosecutors seeking accountability for the 2017 sinking of the submarine ARA San Juan and the deaths of all 44 crew members. Judge Marta Isabel Yañez is presiding over the case, in which the defendants are charged in relation to how the disaster unfolded and what commanders allegedly knew or failed to address before the submarine was lost.
The defendants face charges of dereliction of duty, breach of official obligations and aggravated negligent destruction, which carry prison sentences, according to the allegations presented as the trial opened. All four officers maintain their innocence.
Prosecutors said the submarine’s history of technical problems dates back to its mid-life overhaul in 2015, and they told the court that since then the ARA San Juan had “numerous technical defects” that were “documented by the various captains who served over the years.” The prosecution also argued that those deficiencies contributed to the chain of events that led to the submarine disappearing in the South Atlantic on Nov. 15, 2017.
In the events leading up to the disappearance, the AP reported that the German-built submarine was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina’s far south, to its base in Mar del Plata, about 400 kilometers (248 miles) south of Buenos Aires, following a training exercise. Earlier that day, the submarine reported a malfunction caused by water entering the batteries through the snorkel, but later said the problem had been resolved. Hours later, an explosion was detected in the area where contact was lost.
Investigators concluded that the submarine had operational deficiencies before its Oct. 25, 2017 departure from Mar del Plata. Prosecutors and the court’s reconstruction said water entered through ventilation ducts and reached a battery tank, triggering a short circuit and a small fire. They said that sequence led the submarine to lose control, descend rapidly and eventually implode because the hull could not withstand the pressure at depths exceeding 600 meters.
While the case focuses on military officers, the AP reported that no high-level political figures, including the president at the time or a Cabinet member, have been prosecuted over the November 2017 disaster. The related legal record includes a separate October ruling by Argentina’s Supreme Court that dismissed claims of illegal espionage against the families of the 44 crew members, ending legal proceedings against Mauricio Macri, who served as head of state when the submarine imploded.
Relatives of the deceased crew members, represented by attorney Luis Tagliapietra, said the trial does not amount to what they consider full justice. In a recent statement, the group criticized Judge Marta Isabel Yañez for not conducting essential expert analyses or investigating political leadership, and they specifically pointed to the administration of then President Mauricio Macri.
Tagliapietra later told The Associated Press that the trial is a “farce intended to offer the four navy officers as scapegoats,” though he said he believes a conviction is unlikely. “They clearly bear responsibility,” he said. “but given the flaws in this investigation, acquittal is likely either here or in a higher court.”