MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cause of flight refusal is ?administrative'

THE Acting Governor says that Argentina refused a private aircraft permission to fly to the Falklands, not due to its destination but because of an “administrative problem.”

The private flight, which landed here on Saturday, had to fly from Montevideo in Uruguay after being refused permission to fly from Argentina.

The South American press reported that the American businessmen, visiting on the private luxury jet, were delayed by more than three and a half hours because of the unexpected change to their flight plan.

They had asked for permission to fly from Iguazu in Northern Argentina directly to the Falklands, but were told that this was impossible by the Argentine Aviation Authority.

Accordingly they were required to fly to Montevideo in Uruguay, complete all the necessary formalities and then continue their journey to the Falklands with the Argentines' approval.

The three-engine Falcon 50 touched down at Mount Pleasant at 8.30 in the evening, nearly four hours later than originally planned.

Miss Hall reported on Thursday that the British Embassy in Argentina had looked into the issue and, "...the problem was administrative, with the submission of the application. "It was not because the flight was coming to the Falklands."

After visits the Islands Mr. Bruce White who has business connections with the Marriott Hotel chain and his friends left to Ushuaia in Argentine.(FIBS_PN)