Overview
- Resuming in Río Gallegos on Monday, the court heard former submariners say the ARA San Juan never completed maximum‑depth or top‑speed sea trials.
- Witnesses described prior electrical faults, including a blackout during a speed test and battery problems, which one ex‑commander said could point to a loss of depth control.
- Judges allowed an audio of commander Pedro Martín Fernández from April 2017 to be used as evidence, triggering disputes over its authenticity and over military secrecy rules.
- Roughly 20 experts and program officials are slated to detail the mid‑life repair program and unverified checks, including the E‑19 valve that investigators have linked to possible water ingress into the battery compartment.
- Four former Navy leaders remain on trial as families press for exhaustive questioning and full records, while the prosecution pursues an appeal against limits on how many prosecutors may actively participate.