MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tracking the “Pacific Swan” .

Argentine and Chilean navies are coordinating a close air and sea monitoring operation of the British flag “Pacific Swan” and its deadly radioactive cargo, as it sails along the South Atlantic coast, Drake Sea and into the Pacific.

"We are plotting the vessel so we can have an accurate idea of its course and conditions, even offer assistance in any emergency, but at the same time making sure that it complies with all international regulations", said Rear Admiral Oscar Manzano Soko, head of the III Chilean Naval Zone, with HQ in Punta Arenas.

"Pacific Swan" transporting 676 tons of nuclear fuel waste from Cherbourg, France to Japan and currently sailing in the Southern Atlantic is expected to cross close to Cape Horn next January 17th.

Environmentalists from Greenpeace have organized demonstrations and protests in Brazil, Argentina and plan something similar in Chile, warning of the risks involved in the nuclear waste transport operation, besides the fact that "many international and European Union regulations are being violated".

Representatives of Cogema the company responsible for the operation, insist the "Pacific Swan" is not sailing in Argentine territorial waters and that all possible precautions have been taken into account.

Besides having been built for the transport of hazardous cargo, "Pacific Swan" has duplicate sailing system, double hull, and all eight nuclear waste containers are made of solid steel, each of them weighing 110 tons and fastened individually to the ship's hold.

However in spite of all the hype about the imminent crossing, Rear Admiral Manzano warned that "we'll have to get used to these situations; this could repeat itself".

Argentina is deploying a Meko 140 frigate and a P-3 Orion explorer aircraft.