Argentina Opens ARA San Juan Negligence Trial as Interrogations Begin

Overview

• Four former Navy commanders are on trial in Río Gallegos for breach and omission of duties and qualified negligence, offenses punishable by one to five years in prison.
• Prosecutor Julio Zárate says the Public Ministry gathered sufficient evidence to pursue guilty verdicts.
• Technical reports cited in court state recommended repairs were overdue by 26 months, increasing risks to the crew.
• Investigators’ leading scenario points to a valve failure that let seawater reach the batteries and trigger a fire and explosion, a theory unlikely to be proven without a costly recovery of the wreck at over 900 meters depth about 500 km off Santa Cruz.
• Proceedings began March 3 with the reading of charges, interrogations start March 4, most families were absent due to travel costs, and witness testimony is slated to start in the third week of March.