MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lan Chile Antarctic over flights.

The Chilean Antarctic Environmental impact assessment Committee that since last week operates from Punta Arenas authorized Lan Chile to organize scientific and tourist over flights in Antarctica.

The Committee that recently moved from Santiago, since 1999 monitors Chilean interests in the Antarctic region and the compliance by Chilean authorities of international environmental agreements related to scientific, tourist and logistic activities plus remodelling of bases and stations, and the elimination of garbage and debris.

During the first session of the Committee in Punta Arenas presided by the regional director of the Chilean Environment Committee María Luisa Ojeda and with the participation of Punta Arenas mayor Jaime Jelincic and representatives from the Chilean Antarctic Institute, Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, Fisheries and Meteorology Office, it was agreed to hold four annual sessions.

The Lan Chile "Antarctic over flights 2003-2010" project involves organizing scientific-tourist air cruises, with limited reservations, over the Southern pole in Airbus A340-300 with the purpose of promoting Antarctica.

"During the last season Lan Chile over flew 22 times Antarctica under the charter system, and next November 23 we're planning a solar eclipse cruise", said Paola Contardo, Lan Chile's Magallanes manager.

The solar eclipse that is expected to begin in the Indian Ocean and cross Antarctica will be rather low with the sun 15 degrees over the horizon at the moment of major exposure, lasting one minute and 57 seconds.

Besides authorizing Lan Chile flights the Committee agreed to a Chilean Air Force request for the installation of a satellite system for the transmission of voice and data from the Chilean Antarctic President Eduardo Frei base; an experimental construction to study resistance to Antarctic environmental conditions and a double chamber incinerator to eliminate human residues in the area