MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile rescues stranded Argentine plane in Antarctica

The Chilean Air Force rescued over the weekend an Argentine aircraft stranded on a glacier in the Antarctic Peninsula, according to an official release.

A Twin Otter DHC6 with a special Exploration Group from the Chilean Air Force was dispatched to the "La Pampa del Colchon" glacier where an Argentine aircraft was damaged during landing operations. The rescue operation was coordinated from the Argentine base of Marambio, where an Argentine Air Force Hercules C130 arrived from the continent with spares and personnel for the repairs. The Twin Otter DHC6 took off from the Chilean base Eduardo Frei and flew first to Marambio to pick up the spares and staff and from then on to the stranded aircraft on the glacier. The Chilean Air Force reports the operation was successful in spite of temperatures below minus 20 Celsius and a cold factor closer to minus 40 degrees.