The vessel looking for the Argentine submarine that went missing while spying on the UK's Falkland Islands has identified an 180-foot 'object' on the Atlantic seabed among eight other objects.

The lost ARA San Juan sub, which was sent on unspecified manoeuvres in or around Falkland waters, disappeared on November 15 2017.

Credit: CEN

The 34-year-old German-built submarine had flagged a breakdown in its batteries. However, It did not issue a distress call, meaning it's unclear whether a problem left the vessel without propulsion or unable to surface.

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Naval commander, Gabriel Galeazzi, said that mechanical problems were not uncommon and rarely posed a risk. "A warship has a lot of backup systems, to allow it to move from one to another when there is a breakdown," he explained.

According to local media, exploration company 'Ocean Infinity' has sent a vessel to find the lost sub and they will only receive payment if the ARA San Juan is found.

Earlier this year, Sky News reported that Argentina had offered a $4m (£3m) reward to anybody who could locate the missing submarine.

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Family members pushed for the search to be extended and for private companies to be allowed to look for the vessel.

In late November, families were told the navy had abandoned hope of finding the crew alive after the submarine captain's last message reported seawater had entered the ventilation system, causing a battery to short-circuit and start a fire.

Credit: CEN

With the new revelation, search operations are underway in the South Atlantic under the guard of military personnel. In total, five autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are involved along with a reported 60-man team.



They have found two sunken vessels believed to have been fishing boats as well as a mysterious 55-metre (180 feet) object that they are currently investigating.



However, an initial probe suggested that it is unlikely to be the lost submarine.

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Credit: CEN

In total, they have identified nine objects at the bottom of the sea, but are only investigating five of them.



For transparency purposes, Argentine authorities have created a website that is updated twice a day to keep everybody informed on the search operation.



The mysterious disappearance of the sub has led to many conspiracy theories and officials are apparently keen on playing this one by the book.

Credit: CEN