Mauricio Macri’s comments come after hopes of finding the ARA San Juan plummeted after Argentina’s navy announced that a sound thought to be an explosion had been detected.
The submarine went missing on November 15 with only a one-week supply of oxygen onboard. The navy has vowed to keep searching for the vessel and declined to confirm the wide-held fear that the crew had died.
Enrique Balbi, navy spokesman, said: “Until we find the submarine and know the facts, we cannot venture to say anything more one way or the other to the families.
“The search is very difficult.”
More than a dozen international vessels and aircraft joined the search for the San Juan, including a Voyager jet which became the first RAF plane to depart from the UK and land in Argentina since the Falklands War 35 years ago.
President Macri has already blasted naval commanders over their handling of the crisis of the sub’s disappearance and it is believed he is planning to remove the head of the Navy, Marcelo Srur.
He has hit out at Mr Srur after his distrust of the help offered by Chile, Brazil and Britain delayed the search and rescue mission.
It comes after UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson offered Britain’s “sincerest condolences” to Argentina amid fears that all 44 crew members on the missing submarine have died.
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