MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands demining accident; work continues normally in other minefields
Demining in minefield SA032 has been suspended temporarily pending results of a full investigation which will be carried out by the Demining Project Office A member of the demining team is receiving treatment in hospital following a demining accident on 27 February, reports the Falkland Islands government. During routine demining, a Team Leader, suffered minor injuries to his hand following an explosion. The incident occurred in minefield SA032 located in Moody Valley, to the west of Stanley.
Demining in minefield SA032 has been suspended temporarily pending the results of a full investigation which will be carried out by the Demining Project Office, Fenix Insight, who are responsible for quality control on the project. Work will continue in other minefields on the Islands.
There is an estimated 20.000 mines, anti personnel, and anti vehicle planted in the different fields of the Falklands, left behind by the retreating Argentine military in 1982. Some of the fields have been recovered but it is a slow, complex and particularly dangerous task, which needs teams of great expertise.
Between 2009 and 2016 some thirty minefields have been cleared. Phase five of the project expects to recover another 46 spaces in two years time.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsHere's an idea, every Argentine visitor should be required to clear at least one mine per visit to the islands. All mines should be returned to Argentina.
Mar 02nd, 2017 - 09:28 am +2@Capt Rockhopper, sounds like a good idea in theory, but I'd imagine carrying 35+ year old explosives which have been repeatedly frozen and buried in peat and penguin shit probably wouldn't go down too well with LAN.
Mar 02nd, 2017 - 02:07 pm +2Goodwill LukeDig? Shall we mention the ban on charter flights to the Falklands crossing Argentine airspace? The ban on Falklands flagged vessels? The attempts to deliberately overfish straddling fish stocks? Announcements in the UN about “sinister surveillance arrays” that turned out to be a Cable and Wireless node and the shortwave radio link to the British and Canadian Antarctic stations? The threatening letters sent to companies drilling exploratory oil wells? Hell, the joint exploration agreements that Argentina tore up?
Mar 05th, 2017 - 07:39 pm +1Being surprised when you find that Newton's third law doesn't only apply in physics does seem a bit redundant.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!