Outrage as Argentine Navy set to auction off Falklands War relics for £71,000

The Argentine Navy has sparked outrage after announcing they would auction off war ships.

The ARA Alférez Sobral was set to be auctioned with a starting price of £11,200 after the vessel lost both its commander and seven crew during the Falklands War.

It was during this war when it was attacked by British missiles and helicopters. It has been out of service with no assigned crew since 2019.

The corvette ARA Drummond will also be sold at a starting price of £25,000.

The ARA Guerrico, also listed for auction, was originally used to transport marines during the conflict and accompanied the amphibious fleet during the 1982 landing.

Another vessel that will be auctioned off includes the hydrographic ship ARA Comodoro Rivadavia with a starting price of around £9,800.

However after mounting criticism regarding this auction, the Ministry of Defense recently announced the auction of the ARA Aviso Alférez Sobral will be suspended.

The head of the portfolio, Luis Petri, suspended the auction of the Aviso Alférez Sobral with the ship being donated into a museum instead.

The rest of the items will be auctioned on September 23 and will be conducted by the State Property Administration Agency (AABE).

An attempt to preserve these historically valuable vessels from the increasing conflict with Britain as museum ships have not gone down well within the Navy, it has been reported.

One naval source stated that 'there were no requests from any entity outside the Navy'.

Both the Founders and Pioneers Association of Vicente López and the Malvinas War Veterans Center of Vicente López argued they had expressed their interest to the Navy for receiving the vessels with the hopes of having them displayed in Puerto de Olivos.

A spokesperson for Civil Associations said: "We consider it of high cultural and historical interest to be custodians of this ship. In Vicente López, more than 190 war veterans live, and Puerto de Olivos has the infrastructure conditions to receive it, being the only open-water port north of Buenos Aires City."

Naval sources added: "It is very expensive to keep them afloat, because every two years they have to be taken to dry dock due to corrosion.

"Since they are not active, the ships have a very accelerated wear on the hull."