MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

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Over the South Pole in a single engine plane; American tourist demands Punta Arenas; Chileans in Santa Cruz; Magallanes,gateway to Chile; ENAP finds oil in Egypt; Compensation for missing crewmember; Praise for Lan Chile.

Over the South Pole in a single engine plane

An English woman pilot travelling around the world in a single engine Piper Dakota and currently in Buenos Aires, this Thursday is expected to begin the toughest leg of her intercontinental trip, flying over the South Pole. The gallant Ms. Polly Vacher who is making the world tour to collect funds for disabled people left Scotland last May 6 and was seen off by Prince Charles. In Buenos Aires she was received by Air Force officials and the oldest living Argentine woman pilot Ms. María Ligia Bich Ayala. While in Buenos Aires and preparing for the South Pole crossing Ms.Vacher had time to participate in some of the Argentine Air Force century celebrations. This Thursday Ms. Vacher is scheduled to leave for Trelew, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas and weather permitting hop to Antarctica and over the South Pole.

American tourist demands Punta Arenas

An American cruise tourist who two years ago suffered serious injuries when a protection railing in one of the many sights in Punta Arenas collapsed is demanding a compensation of 120,000 UD dollars from the southern Chilean city. Mr. Robert Dowell Bultman, (70), and wife arrived in Punta Arenas March 2002 aboard the "Norwegian Dream", and as so many cruise passengers went for a city tour including a visit to the Cerro de la Cruz (Cross Hill). Apparently while in the lookout station of the hill Mr. Dowell Bultman leaned against a metal railing protection that failed and fell from three meters seriously injuring head, knee, right shoulder and ribs plus loosing several teeth. The American couple was forced to remain in the Clinica Magallanes of Punta Arenas for ten days before Mr. Dowell Bultman was allowed to fly back to the United States. They obviously missed the rest of the Norwegian Dream cruise. Local attorney Jaime Cárdenas acting for Mr. Dowell Bultman is demanding the equivalent of 120,000 US dollars in compensation and among the evidence of the poor condition of the railing included a cutting and pictures published a week earlier in the local newspaper La Prensa Austral, exposing the risky situation in Cerro de la Cruz plus the fact that there was no warning signs either. "This is a particularly condemnable situation which tarnishes the tourism image of Punta Arenas since local authorities did not have the protection railings repaired or adequately maintained, and in spite of the fact that Punta Arenas municipality was well aware of the deplorable conditions of the railings they did not adopt the necessary measures to avoid accidents such as the very serious one experienced by Mr. Robert Dowell", argued Mr. Cárdenas before the local Court. According to Chilean law local governments or the central government are civilly responsible for damage and/or injuries caused when an accident occurs that is consequence of the bad conditions of public roads or thoroughfare or the lack of adequate signalling.

Chileans in Santa Cruz

Five thousand of the over 12,000 Chilean born citizens that are estimated live in the Argentine Patagonian province of Santa Cruz have registered in the Rio Gallegos Chilean consulate. The voluntary census of Chileans living overseas is coordinated by the Chilean Foreign Affairs Ministry and Statistics Office with help from local expatriates' organizations and the Catholic Church. Last week a team of the Chilean Statistics Office was in Santa Cruz province visiting El Calafate, Río Turbio, 28 de Noviembre and Rio Gallegos. Close to 100,000 Chileans are believed to be living in Argentina and other neighbouring South American countries. "This year our efforts have concentrated in recording Chileans living in South and Central America; next year the task will extend to North America, Europe and Asia", indicated Mr. Jose Gabriel Parada head of the Chilean Statistics Office.

Magallanes, gateway to Chile

Punta Arenas officials and local historians are again strongly lobbying for the official recognition that Chile was first discovered in October 21, 1520 when Spanish navigator Magellan crossed from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. "Chile was discovered through Magallanes region, a fact that we must reiterate and demand be officially recognised" said Punta Arenas mayor Jaime Jelincic. "From the very beginning Magallanes region was ahead of the rest of the country, and years later we also led in infrastructure: we were the first Region to have telephones, satellite transmission, the first to have our main square and the centre of the town illuminated", stressed Mr. Jelincic. "From here Chile began to be built and develop" added Punta Arenas mayor who called on the population to celebrate next October 21 the 483 anniversary "of our Region and discovery of Chile". Four full days of celebrations beginning Saturday October 18 have been planned for the occasion.

ENAP finds oil in Egypt

The Chilean government owned company Empresa Nacional del Petroleo, ENAP, working through its affiliate Sipetrol announced the discovery of oil in Egypt. The Ganna 1 well is located in the North Bahaiya block to the east of the Sahara desert, licened by the Egyptian government to a consortium of Sipetrol, American Transoil Corporation and Naftaplin from Croatia. "The drilling showed clear signs of oil with production ranging 1,400/1,500 barrels per day at three different levels", said Daniel Fernandez, General Manager of ENAP, adding that the ten million US dollars investment in Egypt "will be easily recovered". Mr. Fernández indicated that Sipetrol which holds 50% of the consortium in Egypt, will continue searching for oil in the area. "As part of our overseas policy, of the 1,6 billion US dollars we have earmarked for investing, half is for exploration and exploitation operations outside of Chile. We have options to invest in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran and Yemen, so after the Ganna 1 discovery we're reassessing our priorities", said Mr. Fernandez. ENAP's overseas production is still very modest but according to Mr. Fernández it helps alleviate Chile's dependency on overseas energy plus the fact "that we are taking advantage of our infrastructure and know-how accumulated during decades of domestic operations particularly in southern Chile".

Compensation for missing crewmember

A Punta Arenas Court ordered a local fishing company to pay the equivalent of a quarter million US dollars to the family of a crewmember who disappeared overboard in the South Atlantic. The accident occurred in August 2001 involving boatswain Jose Caipillan Hermosilla, 52, aboard the factory vessel "Elqui" belonging to Pesquera Los Andes. Apparently Mr. Caipillan was working on deck when, given the "absence of safety precautions and equipment" fell overboard and was caught and dragged down by the vessel's nets to more than 150 metres below sea level. Although the captain was alerted to the fact that a man had fallen into the sea, he was slow in reacting and stopping the engines of the vessel. Mrs. Caipillan widow's attorney was able to prove that her husband had been sent to perform a job which was not his post since "the vessel was short of personnel". The Court ruling includes equal compensation for Mrs. Caipillan and the couple's only daughter plus a larger figure to cover the estimated working life income of the deceased.

Praise for Lan Chile

Chilean flag carrier Lan Chile was chosen for the third year running as the best Latinamerican airline by the United States magazine "Global Finance". This is the sixth edition of the world's best airlines ranking. The nomination process takes into account the opinion of airline analysts, editors, specialized journalists besides experts from the different areas related to the air industry both regionally and globally. Some of the factors taken into account to make the short list of companies to be selected includes, increase in revenue and profits; capitalization of market growth; social responsibility; and the percentage of income and staff working overseas, away from the country's main offices. Lan Chile CEO Luis Ernesto Videla said it was "a great honour to receive the award for the third year running. It's an important recognition for the management and efficiency with which Lan Chile and its team of professionals have successfully addressed the most complex challenges".