MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Navy delegation in Ushuaia celebration.

A delegation of Chilean naval authorities travelled last October 12 to Ushuaia, Argentina, specially invited by their Argentine Navy counterparts to participate in the city's 120th anniversary.

The Chilean delegation included Rear Admiral Jorge Huerta Dunsmore Commander of Naval Operations; Rear Admiral Eduardo Covacevich Castex Commander of the Surface Fleet and Commander of the Third Naval Zone stationed in Punta Arenas, Rear Admiral Arturo Ojeda Zernott.

They were hosted by Rear Admiral Eduardo Luis Avilés, Commander of Naval Operations of the Argentine Navy.

Several Chilean vessels also participated in the celebration: the destroyer "Capitan Prat"; frigate "Zenteno"; and support vessels from the Third Naval Zone in Punta Arenas, ATF Leucotón and LSG Hallef.

In related news the Commander in Chief of the Chilean Navy Admiral Miguel Angel Vergara visited in France the O'Higgins submarine, first of two Scorpone units being built by a French-Spanish consortium DCN-IZAR.

Together with the SS Carrera they will replace Oberon type submarines that were recently decommissioned after reaching 30 years in service with the Chilean Navy.

The O'Higgins is currently involved in the second phase of sea trials in the Gulf of Viscay after having completed several resistance tests in the bay of Cherbourg.

The Chilean crew which will eventually take over the submarine is undergoing a training program from the French Navy in Cherbourg.

Admiral Vergara was received in Lorient by the Commander of the French Marines and Commandos, Rear Admiral Jean Paul Cabrieres.