'The Submarine That Disappeared': Netflix Explores the Mysteries Behind Argentina's ARA San Juan

The disappearance the ARA San Juan submarine along with its 44 crewmen during a routine patrol off the coast of Argentina on November 15, 2017, left the country and the region on its toes for almost a year until the wreck was finally found. The story is full of mystery, deception and countless questions, all of which be explored starting March 8 on the 8-episode Netflix documentary series "ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared."

Throughout the episodes, the series makes use of archival footage, never-before seen images and exclusive interviews with officials, journalists and family members to try to clarify several of the burning questions that still linger almost seven years after the tragic accident. The Argentine production is helmed by Nicolás Carrera, Marcos Sacchetti and Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta, while the production is conducted by Cactus Cine.

In a statement to the press, the showrunners said "the show looks to honor the memory of the 44 crewmen who perished and their families' unwavering fight to find some answers."

ARA San Juan entered service on 18 November 1985 and underwent a mid-life update between 2008 and 2013. The last contact from that fateful November 15 was made by captain Pedro Martínez Fernández, who reported that a short circuit inside the vessel had provoked a fire. After contact was lost, an international search, unprecedented due to its magnitude, took place. It eventually led to the finding almost one year from the incident, made by a company called Ocean Infinity.

The reason's behind the ARA San Juan tragedy remain clouded in mystery. Days after the disappearance, several operational issues were brought to light and negligence became a popular theory to explain the failures that led to its implosion. The investigation was further complicated when it was revealed that the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) was conducing illegal espionage of crewmen's family members following the incident.

By 2020, several high ranking official were prosecuted and several political and military figures were investigated, including then-president Mauricio Macri, who however was absolved later on in a controversial decision that has been appealed by family members who still fight to know the truth behind the ARA San Juan to this day.

The show marks Netlifx's latest documentary project in Argentina after successful entries such as Nisman: The Prosecutor, the President, and the Spy(2019),Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? (2020), El fotógrafo y el cartero: El crimen de Cabezas (2022) and Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist(2022).