MAR DEL PLATA (Sputnik) — Families and friends of crew members of Argentina's missing submarine the San Juan, that went off radar on November 15, have gathered at a naval base in the Argentine city of Mar del Plata, expressing their hope for the survival of their relatives.
"As for me, I remain hopeful," Fernanda Valacco, the wife of a missing submarine officer told Sputnik, adding that all the crew members were prepared for an extended stay on a submarine as they had undergone intensive training.
"In case of emergency, they know how to address it and what to do… He [Valacco] knows what he has to do, how and where to stay on the submarine," the submariner's wife said, expressing her confidence that her husband is also managing to deal with the situation on an emotional level.
Jorge Villarreal, the father of submariner Fernando Vicente Villareal, indicated that the news about a hydroacoustic anomaly detected near the location where the submarine went missing had made the relatives of the San Juan crew members anticipate something.
"I do not know anything about those technological terms, they told us there was some noise, that might have come from the submarine… and they would work on the issue," Villareal said, adding that he hoped for the best.
Enrique Stein, a psychiatrist who is working with the families of missing submariners, told Sputnik that the morale of mariners' relatives changes depending on the information provided by media.
"These people are currently in an emotional state due to the reports, which implies illusions and frustration, which makes sense, as [they] can do nothing," Stein explained.
Queen of the Seas, Argentina's Only Female Submarine Officer Among Missing Crew
Contact with the San Juan submarine with 44-member crew onboard was lost on November 15, when it was on its way from the port of Ushuaia to the city of Mar del Plata. According to media, the crew members reported on some problems during the last established contact.
Most recently, President Vladimir Putin recently confirmed his readiness to support the Argentine rescue mission by deploying a Russian high-tech oceanographic vessel to the search area. Apart from Russia and Chile, the US and the UK have also offered their assistance.
