The Argentine Navy reported on 16 November 2018 that the wreck of San Juan had been found at a depth of 907 metres (2,976 ft), 460 kilometres (290 mi) southeast of Comodoro Rivadavia.

Its sister vessel, ARA Santa Cruz, is the only other one of its type, though the program originally sought to produce a larger number of submarines.

[17] The updates were carried out at the Argentine Industrial Naval Complex's (CINAR) Tandanor and Storni shipyards, in the southern sector of Buenos Aires port.

[8] Later, San Juan was tasked with carrying out surveillance exercises in the exclusive economic zone around Puerto Madryn, particularly in the role of combating illegal fishing.

[38] On 30 November, 15 days after San Juan went missing, the Navy declared that the rescue phase of the operation was over, and the search for the submarine on the seabed would continue.

[4] On 16 November 2018, the remains of ARA San Juan were found at a depth of 907 metres (2,976 ft), at 45°56′59″S 59°46′22″W / 45.94972°S 59.77278°W / -45.94972; -59.77278[19] (20 km or 12 mi NNW from the seismic anomaly previously reported by the CTBTO) and nearly 270 nautical miles (500 km; 310 mi) from Comodoro Rivadavia, by a remote submersible operated by the Norwegian ship Seabed Constructor of the company Ocean Infinity, a private maritime company hired by the Argentine government.

[3][41] It had been considered that the probability of locating the wreck in the area where it was eventually found was 90%, but previous searches failed to find it due to insufficient technology and presence of numerous submarine canyons.

[42] A "hydro-acoustic anomaly" consistent with an implosion had been detected 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) north of the submarine's last known position at 10:31 ART (13:31 UTC) on 15 November 2017.

[43][44] On 24 October 2021 a memorial commemorating the 44 crew members lost was unveiled in front of the Mar del Plata Naval Base.