MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South America News.

Fire in Argentine fishing vessel

Seven crewmembers remain unaccounted for in an Argentine fishing vessel that caught fire Tuesday night at approximately 200 nautical miles from Puerto Madryn according to an official report from the Argentine Coast Guard. The rest of the 58 crewmen of Argentine flagged API II have been rescued by other fishing vessels and the Coast Guard vessel "Prefecto Derbes". The fire apparently broke out in the cabin section and rapidly spread to the rest of the 83 meters long fishing vessel. "Seven crewmen remain unaccounted for, and we fear they could be trapped in the engine room of the vessel. However, with special fire fighting equipment and the help of ten crewmen we're also beginning to manage the situation", said Wednesday morning Puerto Madryn harbor master Miguel Angel Suñé who is coordinating operations. Speaking from Comodoro Rivadavia, Coast Guard Major Javier Urquiza admitted that as time goes by the "situation of the seven missing crewmember becomes more worrisome". An Argentine Navy unit ARA Gurruchaga is also standing by in the area in case APPI II must be tugged to port, but according to the latest reports in spite of the extent of the fire the vessel still has "propulsion capacity".

Ezeiza "battle"

Dozens of former and active Aerolineas Argentinas staff members battled riot police in Ezeiza airport last Tuesday and Wednesday in an attempt to prevent Spanish airline Iberia flights from operating. Staff are protesting Aerolíneas Argentinas Spanish owners decision to cancel flights to Europe following an Argentine government warning that if the company's flights to North and South America are not resumed, "the lines will be internationally auctioned". The Aerolineas controversy has been ongoing over the last twelve months but reached chaotic proportion when Spanish owner SEPI, unveiled a few weeks ago a drastic plan to cut staff, salaries and flights to turn the 30 million US dollars per month loosing company into a profitable investment. Aerolineas was privatized, free of all debts and with 31 new aircraft, a decade ago when it was sold to Iberia, the Spanish carrier belonging to the Spanish government through SEPI, an