https://en.mercopress.com/2023/05/23/argentine-congress-and-simon-wiesenthal-center-seek-answers-on-submarine-wreck
Argentine Congress and Simon Wiesenthal Center seek answers on 'Submarine' wreck
Tuesday, May 23rd 2023
Congress urges the Government to fulfill legal obligations and raise thought-provoking questions, while the Simon Wiesenthal Center emphasizes transparency.
Photo: Prefectura Naval Argentina
By LAURENCE DE MELLO IN BUENOS AIRES
The 2022 discovery of a suspected WWII U-boat in Argentine waters has ignited an intense political debate within the closed corridors of the Argentine Government, resuscitating embarrassing historical ties between President General Juan Domingo Peron and Nazi Germany.
The shattered amphibious craft, lying in shallow waters close to the beaches of Costa Bonita and Arenas Verdes off the coast of Buenos Aires, could confirm claims that leading Nazi’s escaped to Argentina by submarine in the closing months of WWII.
News of the shipwreck and the subsequent reluctance by the Argentine Government to conclude a transparent investigation to identify the vessel, has prompted congressional members of the political opposition party 'Juntos Por el Cambio' (Together for Change), to urge the current Peronist administration to verify if the wreckage was part of the notorious “Pack of wolves” convoy of WWII.
Argentine Naval Prefecture investigates the wreck in 2022
In a highly confidential, Government document obtained exclusively by MercoPress, Members of Argentina’s National Congress have made baffling remarks, shedding light not only on Argentina’s cozy historic relationship with Nazi Germany, but the possible covert smuggling of Nazi’s by the United States Government via Argentina to the United States of America.
Identifying the vessel has become a top priority, to determine the country of origin, date of sinking and whether there were any important passengers on board who may have disembarked in Argentina before the boat was scuttled.
Likewise, the deputies are calling for information regarding possible cargo, reminding the Government of its legal obligation to identify and assess any potential hazardous materials which may have been onboard, including live torpedoes and uranium, particularly if the vessel is confirmed to be a U-Boat
PIC: Juan and Eva Peron gave refuge to Nazi escapees. Credit: Public domain
Peron's interest in German atomic technology is well-known and one U-Boat (U-234) captured by the allies while bound for Japan in May 1945, was found to be carrying 1,200 pounds of Uranium Oxide, a vital ingredient for an atomic bomb.
Following the discovery and reporting of the wreck in March 2022 by Abel Basti an investigative journalist and director of the research group ‘Eslabon Perdido’ (Missing Link), the Argentine Naval Prefecture secured control of the wreck area and conducted an extensive and meticulous inspection of the hull and wreckage.
At a depth of only 28 meters, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used with tactical divers to capture images of the craft and surrounding debris, dispersed over an area of seabed 80-meters-long and 10-meters-wide. The dives yielded over 8x hours of underwater footage and thousands of murky images.
PIC: Fabio Bisciotti works for the Pentagon in the identification of American ships during World War II in the Adriatic Sea – Credit: LNI
Despite the initial Government inquest, costing over 60x million Argentinian Pesos (US$300,000) the Argentine Government has refused to publicly disclose the identity of the vessel.
To tackle prolonged delays, Abel Basti enlisted two independent experts to examine the wreck and materials obtained by the Naval Prefecture.
Dr. Martin Canevaro, President of the Professional Council of Naval Engineering in Argentina and Dr. Fabio Bisciotti, an international naval wreck identification and recovery specialist from The Lega Navale Italiana. The experts presented pro-bono reports, in which they identified what appears to be a ‘periscope’ and a Conning Tower.
Dr. Biscotti, an internationally recognised authority in the field, stands as one of the world's foremost experts in investigating and identifying WWII wrecks. He has undertaken multiple prestigious assignments to investigate wreckage, particularly from the Second World War. His expertise has been solicited by the United States Pentagon and the British Royal Navy.
The cover letter of Dr. Biscotti's 2022 report states:
“Final impression - we found various pieces attributable to a submarine. The investigation needs to be revisited in depth to determine the actual make and model.”
''We categorically state it is not a ship.”
MercoPress contacted Dr. Bisciotti to ask if he still stands by his report of 2022:
