Argentina's Navy are still not able to confirm if seven brief satellite calls received a day prior were from a lost submarine with 44 crew members on board.

"We do not have clear evidence that (the calls) have come from that unit," said Admiral Gabriel Gonzalez, chief of the Mar del Plata Naval Base. "We are analysing more closely to reliably determine that they were not calls coming from the submarine."

Gonzalez said the Navy has intensified its aerial search off the country's southern Atlantic coast after adverse weather conditions spurred waves up to eight metres and made a maritime search difficult.

Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said the low-frequency satellite signals received Saturday lasted a "few seconds," but had not connected with a base, partly due to inclement weather. The communication attempts were originally thought to indicate that the crew was trying to re-establish contact.

On Sunday, search units were largely relying on information gathered from a British polar exploration vessel, the HMS Protector, which was equipped with an underwater search probe and was following the path taken by the submarine, the ARA San Juan.

"Our thoughts remain with the crew of the ARA San Juan and their families at this time," said HMS Protector Cmdr. Angus Essenhigh, according to a statement from Britain's Royal Navy.

It was carrying 44 crew members.

The gesture has attracted attention since the nations fought a bloody war in 1982 after Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands.

Gonzalez also confirmed the U.S. Navy's Undersea Rescue Command had been deployed to the search area, along with aircraft from Argentina, Brazil and the US, and 11 surface vessels.

The submarine was bound for Argentina's Mar del Plata base. (Google Maps)

Among the 44 crew members is Eliana Krawczyk, the first female submarine officer in Argentina.

The submarine has not been heard from since Wednesday.