BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine military submarine with 44 crew members on board was missing at sea on Friday, prompting a massive search to locate the vessel which may have suffered a communication error, a navy spokesman said.

The vessel was in the southern Argentine Sea when it gave its last location two days ago.

?We are investigating the reasons for the lack of communication,? Argentine naval spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters. ?If there was a communication problem, the boat would have to come to the surface.?

Balbi said the submarine, which left the southern city of Ushuaia for Mar del Plata, both in Argentina, has food supply for several days and is likely to continue its journey despite communication problems.