MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Almost a century in Antarctica. “Belgrano Expedition”

Argentina celebrated over the week end the 99th anniversary of its presence in Antarctica. On February 22, 1904, a group of Argentines began managing the Weather and Magnetic Observatory in Laurie Island, belonging to the South Orkney that had been originally established by a Scottish expedition.

Since then the observatory has been running uninterruptedly becoming the oldest station in Antarctica and confirming Argentina's early and historic presence in Antarctica, according to reports in the Argentine press.

The Argentine Foreign Affairs Secretary recalled that two years ago Buenos Aires was accepted as the permanent Secretariat for the Antarctic Treaty, (after several years of British objection), an organization that has 27 full members and another 18 adherent representing 65% of the globe's population.

Argentine Antarctic Affairs are currently managed from the Dirección Nacional del Antártico under the Defence Secretary, but in a near future will be transferred to the Foreign Affairs Secretary. All Argentine Armed Forces branches have stations in Antarctica and coordinate all the country's scientific research effort in the area.

The Argentine Foreign Affairs Secretary reiterated the country's commitment to an Antarctica dedicated to peace, scientific research and conservation of its wildlife and environment. Argentina is planning several special celebrations in the coming year when the one hundredth anniversary.

"Belgrano Expedition"

Survivors from the sinking of the Argentine cruise "General Belgrano" will be participating in the National Geographic operation to locate and film the vessel that since 1982 lies 4,200 metres below on the South Atlantic seabed.

One of them is retired Captain Pedro Luis Galazi who was second in command when the old former American Navy cruise was torpedoed by the British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror, and rapidly began sinking at 16:00 hours, May 2nd, 1982. Actually Mr. Galazi was responsible for the orderly evacuation, if possible, of the 700 crewmembers that silently were waiting on deck for the "abandon ship" order.

Captain Galazi spent 35 hours adrift in a barge with 31 other crewmembers following the most tragic single event of the whole 1982 conflict. According to an interview with a Buenos Aires daily, Mr. Galazi confesses that since the incident he has been unable to see war movies, particularly when the sinking of ships is involved. "A documentary on the Belgrano will be the exception".

The National Geographic "Expedition Belgrano" will be leaving Ushuaia this Friday with a team of scientists and experts several of them involved in the discovery of other epic vessels such as the Titanic, Bismarck, USS Yorktown and president Kennedy's PT 109. One of the objectives of the expedition after locating the ARA Belgrano is to film the remains and unveil a magnetic plaque on the hull to the memory of all dead. An Argentine Navy captain is also on board to ensure that following international practice the Belgrano is effectively treated as a "war grave".

A second vessel, the Argentine Navy oceanographic research "Puerto Deseado" will also be present when the ceremony. It will carry be carrying twenty survivors and next of kin of the 323 deceased when the sinking. One of them a gunner, sailor Juan Carlos Ruviera who saw how the bow of the Belgrano exploded when hit by the second torpedo.

"This is the first and last time I'm doing this trip. I will pray and honour all those comrades who are no longer with us", said Mr. Ruviera.