MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina honours South Atlantic war pilot.

A monument and plaque to the memory of an Argentine Air Force pilot shot down in May 1982 during the South Atlantic conflict were unveiled this week in the town of Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires province.

The mayor of Tres Arroyos, local and provincial authorities plus the Argentine Air Force Secretary participated of the ceremony.

Argentine Air Force Dagger fighter-bomber pilot, First Lieutenant Hector Ricardo Volponi was returning from a failed air sortie in the Falkland Islands in the afternoon of May 23 when he was intercepted by two Sea Harriers, one of which fired a deadly air to air Sidewinder missile.

The Dagger crashed against Mount First in Pebble/Borbon Island and First Lieutenant Volponi's remains were later transported back to the mainland and buried in his hometown in Mendoza province.

According to a release from the Argentine Air Force First Lt. Volponi was the only Argentine pilot killed in the Islands that is buried in the continent.

Lt. Volponi and Squadron Commander Major Carlos Martínez, who survived, were part of the massive air raids sent by the Argentine command against the British Task Force units protecting the landing of troops in the Falklands Sound, better known as "bomb alley" by the British forces.

However on May 23 adverse flying conditions had severely limited Argentine air bombardments.

The Argentine Air Force release states that the two Sea Harriers belonged to the 800 Squadron with Commander Andy Laud and Lt. Martin Hale who fired the Sidewinder at a range of 900 meters.

A Twin Otter from the Argentine IX Brigade in Comodoro Rivadavia in search and rescue operations for downed pilots flew Lt. Volponi's remains back to mainland.