MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina and Chile celebrate Antarctic waters joint patrol

Argentine and Chilean navies celebrated last Friday in Ushuaia the tenth anniversary of the combined Antarctic Naval Patrol which during summer months is jointly deployed in Antarctic waters.

The combined patrolling in Antarctic waters includes search and rescue, salvage and hydrocarbons contamination control operations, which this season involves the Argentine navy Suboficial Castillo and the Chilean icebreaker Almirante Viel. At the ceremony with the presence of local authorities, high ranking officers from both navies and special guests a plaque was unveiled at the headquarters of the Argentine Navy Austral Area. A similar plaque and ceremony is scheduled for the end of February in the neighboring Chilean city of Punta Arenas. The Argentine Navy delegation was headed by Chief of Staff Admiral Jorge Omar Gody; Naval operations commander Rear Admiral VGM Luis Oscar Manino; Commander of the Austral naval area Rear Admrial Guillermo Estevez and head of the Joint Operational Command, General Daniel Oscar Camponovo. Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Jorge Huerta Dunsmore headed the Chilean Navy delegation together with the Commander of the Third Naval Zone Rear Admiral Edmundo Gonzalez Roble and the Commander of the Beagle Naval District Captain Jonson Huerta. "Ten years have gone since this great integration enterprise of Argentine and Chilean efforts. The Combined Antarctic Naval Patrol is integration", said Chilean Rear Admiral Edmundo Gonzales Robles. This integration is "solid, long-lasting, efficient and the result of a common effort and growing trust and great will". Argentine Rear Admiral Guillermo Estevez underlined that the patrol was another "chapter of encounters full of joint successes for both navies. Since 1997 over a thousand men from both navies have participated in over forty contamination control and high seas pull operations, given support to Antarctic bases, rendered help to cruise vessels and yachts, but above all it has shown the world an example of collaboration".