Argentina sub: Antarctic tribute to lost San Juan group

The group of an Argentine icebreaker have paid a moving tribute to their companions lost adrift in a submarine.

They framed the number 44 on the ice as they headed into the Antarctic while playing out a conventional military salute by their ship, the ARA Almirante Irizar.

Forty-four submariners on the ARA San Juan were lost in the waters of the South Atlantic on 15 November.

The photograph was taken from one of the helicopters that went with the ship.

It was then distributed on the Argentine military's Twitter account.The icebreaker landed in Antarctica on Friday. Argentina has 13 perpetual and short lived bases on the mainland.

The ship itself has had a pained past.

A fire incompletely demolished it in 2007 and this is its first mission for over 10 years.