MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' salvage of La Sanmartiniana, triggered minor air incident, reports Argentine media

La Sanmartiniana flying the colors of La Campora

The loss of the Argentine yacht La Sanmartiniana which was abandoned and left adrift in the South Atlantic, but is currently moored in the Falklands as part of a salvage effort, led to a minor air incident according to Clarin when an RAF Typhoon from MPA warned a private search plane it was approaching Falkland Islands jurisdiction.

 In effect according to the report which was echoed by the Argentine media and later confirmed by UK Ministry of Defense, when the yacht which was believed condemned but survived, it triggered a search by civilian aircraft from Tierra del Fuego air clubs to try and locate the vessel in the South Atlantic.

However the yacht flying the Argentine flag and the colors of the La Campora group, a youth organization belonging to the son of Cristina Fernandez, Maximo Kirchner was already in Falklands' waters, and later salvaged and towed to Stanley by a Fisheries patrol vessel.

It was sometime at this point that an Argentine search aircraft approached Falklands air space and was warned away by an RAF Typhoon.

So far this information was confirmed by FIPCA, the Argentine Interactive Foundation to Promote the Culture of Water, supposedly the owners of the yacht La Sanmartiniana. The head of FIPCA, Julio Urién apparently is a former navy officer who was arrested during Argentina's dictatorship, but in 2005 was reinstated to his naval rank by then president Nestor Kirchner.

The foundation published that “on 30 September, the administration council of FIPCA, under president Julio Urien met to assess the search results of La Sanmartiniana, particularly the air effort undertaken by the Tierra del Fuego air-clubs. With no positive results to report, it was decided to conclude these search efforts and thank the institutions involved”.

Later from the UK the involvement of an MPA RAF fighter was confirmed on request from Clarin: “The ministry of defense can confirm that last 24 September, a Typhoon aircraft from the Royal Air Force took off from MPA to identify an unknown aircraft which was close to the Falkland Islands in international air space. The aircraft was identified and did not enter the air space controlled by the Falklands”, according to the Buenos Aires daily.

Meanwhile in the Falkland Islands, on Friday 9th October 2015 the Receiver of Wreck, Falkland Islands reports that he has taken possession of the sailing yacht detailed below in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Act 1894.

On Wednesday 7th October 2015 the Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Patrol vessel ‘Protegat’ found sailing yacht ‘FIPCA-LA SANMARTINIANA’, a white painted steel built two mast Ketch rigged sailing yacht, drifting afloat and abandoned within the Falkland Islands Outer Conservation Zone (FOCZ) at position 53° 55.2’S 056° 34.5’W.

The yacht is now safely moored in Stanley Harbor, Falkland Islands and is in the custody of the Receiver of Wreck. Registration number: REY-014788; Length: 17 meters; Type: Steel two mast ketch rigged yacht

Any person who wishes to claim ownership of the above detailed vessel may do so by writing to: Receiver of Wreck; Byron House, 3 ‘H’ Jones Road; Stanley, Falkland Islands, providing full details of their claim within one year from the date of this notice, 16th October 2015.