'Explosion' dashes last hopes for missing sub

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina - An explosion apparently occurred near the last known position of an Argentine submarine, the navy confirmed on Thursday, dashing any last hopes of finding the vessel and its 44 crew members.

Relatives of the missing sailors reacted with grief to the news after holding out hope since the sub was reported overdue at its Mar del Plata base on Nov 17, two days after the explosion.

"An anomalous, singular, short, violent and non-nuclear event consistent with an explosion," occurred shortly after the submarine's last communication, Navy spokesman Captain Enrique Balbi said in Buenos Aires.