MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News form South America

Trelew airport privatized

The management of Argentine province Chubut main airport Trelew, airport was officially handed over to a private company last week. The Argentine company, is spite of its name, "London Suply", is expected to invest heavily in infrastructure and improve tourist accommodations that is rapidly becoming one of the main income sources of the Patagonian province. "Our objective is to aggressively promote Patagonian tourism since we are now directly involved in three main airports, El Calafate in Santa Cruz, Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego and now Trelew", said Hugo Bonnet, vice president of London Suply. However Trelew's mayor Gustavo Di Benedetto pointed out that the concession before becoming fully effective must undergo a one year's trial. "In twelve months time if we are satisfied, then we'll become full partners", indicated Mr. Di Benedetto.

HMS "Swift" recovery operation

A team of international divers and marine archeologists are successfully recovering valuable objects and weapons from the British corvette "Swift" that lies in the bottom of the sea close to Puerto Deseado, in Patagonia since 1770. The 30 meters, 270 tons displacement HMS "Swift" carrying a crew of 80 and built in 1762, apparently belonged to the British fleet operating from the Falkland Islands and run aground on March 13th. 1770, just 100 meters from Puerto Deseado to the northeast of Santa Cruz province. HMS Swift armed with 14 cannons was sailing under the command of Captain George Farmer when it was surprised by a strong storm and now lies in 18 meters deep water. The four divers involved in the what is considered the first marine archeological recovery in the South Atlantic are Jorge Herrera Tovar and Roberto Galindo from the Mexican History and Antropology Institute and experts in Spanish galleon recoveries; Mike Jablonowsky a professional diver and archeologist from Somona University in California and Daniel Vainctub from the Argentine Anthropology Institute. "It's extraordinary, it's not common to find a vessel so well preserved. We'll be able to better understand naval construction and how daily life was aboard one of these vessels", said Herrera Tovar, addi