MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina announces identification on 106th combatant buried in Falklands

Castagnari makes the Air Fo first Argentine combatant buried in the Falklands whose remains are returned to Argentina.

Remains of the 106th Argentine combatant buried in the Falkland Islands has been fully identified, announced on Thursday Argentina's Human Rights Secretary Claudio Avruj. The Argentine official said the name of the newly identified soldier will be released on Friday on request of the family who wished a day of intimacy, after 36 years of waiting news from their loved one.

 The identification process is the result of the Humanitarian Project Plan agreed by Argentina and UK , and consented by the Falkland Islands elected authorities, which was commissioned to the International Red Cross and an international team of forensic experts. The team during several weeks unearthed the 121/122 unnamed graves at the Argentine military cemetery in Darwin. DNA samples and possible identification artifacts were recovered and remains were later reburied with full honors.

Until this last announcement 105 gravestones reading “Argentine soldier only known upon God” have been replaced by the full name of the remains identified following a cross checking of the DNA samples with those of the next of kin.

Avruj made the announcement from Cordoba, where he accompanied the wife and children of an Argentine Air Force combatant, who was also buried at the Argentine military cemetery in Darwin, but honoring his last will, to be buried next to his three year son, his remains were flown to his home province following a poignant ceremony at MPA in the Falklands and later at Rio Cuarto, Cordoba.

“Today is very special because we are receiving a Malvinas hero who is back home. But we also have mixed emotions since I have a new identification to announce, we now have 106 brave soldiers who have recovered their names in the framework of the Humanitarian Project Plan”, said Avruj during the Rio Cuarto ceremony.

Avruj flew on Thursday to be next to Maria Cristina Scavarda, widow of captain post mortem Luis Dario Jose Castagnari, and her three sons and only daughter. Captain Castagnari died during an intense bombing of Stanley airport on 29 May 1982.

Castagnari before been sent to the Falklands told his wife that if he did not return alive from war, make sure his remains are laid to rest next to their three year old son Gustavo who died of cancer. This makes the Air Force officer the first Argentine combatant buried in the Falklands whose remains are returned to Argentina.

Avruj said he feels the Argentina state has been absent from the pain and grief of many families, but now many of those Malvinas' next of kin have found peace. “We managed with the Humanitarian Plan to help heal this 36-year open injury which meant family did not known where their beloved were resting”.