Imagine the turbulent waters of the Magellan Straits. This is where the story of the Rastreador A.R.A. Fournier ends. The A.R.A. Fournier a Bouchard-class minesweeper served Argentina from 1940. It was built to replace older ships purchased from Germany. These ships had diesel engines instead of steam engines. They also had larger guns. But the Bouchard class struggled with stability. This flaw led to the tragic loss of the Fournier.
The A.R.A. Fournier was built at the Sanchez shipyard. It was launched in 1939. The Argentine Navy took control of it on October 13 1940. The ship was 59 meters long and 7.30 meters wide. It displaced 520 long tons at full load. Its engines could reach a speed of 15 knots. The ship’s range was 3000 nautical miles at 10 knots. The A.R.A. Fournier was armed with two 99 mm guns. It also had anti-aircraft defense and machine guns. The ship had a complement of 62 crew members.
In September 1949 the A.R.A. Fournier set sail from Río Gallegos to Ushuaia. It never arrived. The minesweeper was declared missing on September 28. Later investigations revealed the ship sank around October 4. It struck a rock in the Magellan Straits. This location was about 60 nautical miles south of Punta Arenas. All 77 people on board perished.
The loss of the A.R.A. Fournier was a major tragedy for the Argentine Navy. News reports called it the worst tragedy in peacetime. President Juan Domingo Perón declared three days of national mourning. The Argentine Navy remembers the A.R.A. Fournier every year. They hold a ceremony at the Rastreador Fournier plaza. This plaza is at the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.
The A.R.A. Fournier remains a symbol of duty and sacrifice. Its story reminds us of the unpredictable power of the sea. It also reminds us of the brave men who served their country.