Scientists from Montenegro participating in the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic Mission in the waters of the Southern Ocean, Dr. Vesna Mačić and Dr. Aleksandar Joksimović from the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor, by coincidence, in addition to seals, penguins and other living creatures of Antarctic waters and islands, have also dealt with material remains that speak of tragically ended earlier military research missions in that remote and inhospitable part of the world.
Namely, after a team of Bulgarian and other scientists, including experts from the Kotor Institute, landed on the coast of the Antarctic island of Livingston near Cape Bernard Point on Thursday, February 5, from the Bulgarian Navy research ship "St. Cyril and Methodius" (RSV-421), which is sailing in this area, they discovered new remains of an Argentine Navy aircraft that crashed on Livingston Island in 1976. These are the remains of a naval patrol and anti-submarine aircraft of the Lockheed P-2 Neptune type that mysteriously disappeared during a reconnaissance mission in Antarctic waters, almost half a century ago.
Bulgarian physicist Oleg Vasilyev, while earlier surveying the coast at Cape Bernard Point, noticed some debris at that location, after which a drone flight over the area confirmed that it was most likely part of the wreckage of a crashed plane. After that, the team landed on the shore, collected the debris and brought it to the Bulgarian research vessel, which also includes Lieutenant of the Argentine Navy Agustin Vieira da Costa, who is officially monitoring and assisting the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic Mission on behalf of that country.
A ceremony was held on the ship "St. Cyril and Methodius", commanded by Captain 2nd Rank Radko Muevski, to pay tribute and respect to the fallen members of the Argentine Navy and Air Force who died in the crash of this aircraft. It is planned that the collected pieces of the wreckage will be handed over to the Argentine naval base of Mar del Plata upon the return of "St. Cyril and Methodius" from Antarctica to Bulgaria in the coming months.
This is the second time that a Bulgarian Antarctic expedition has found the remains of an Argentine plane that crashed on Livingston Island in September 1976. Namely, in early 2024, scientists from the research vessel "St. Cyril and Methodius" came across the metal remains of the plane in the False Bay area. It was initially assumed that it was the wreckage of a Chilean C-130 Hercules transport plane that disappeared over the Drake Passage in 2019. However, after contact with the Argentine authorities and the discovery of the "Mother Sun" (Sol de Mayo) - the recognizable emblem of the Argentine armed forces on the metal remains of the plane, it was revealed that it was the wreckage of the Argentine "Neptune" that crashed on Livingston in 1976.
Then, for reasons still unknown, a plane carrying 11 people crashed into the 1.700-meter-high Mount Barnard above False Bay. New wreckage found yesterday at nearby Cape Betnard Pint shows how the immense strength and power of untouched nature played a role in this case as well.
"Namely, 50 years ago, the plane crashed into the side of Mount Barnard at an altitude of about 1.500 meters above sea level. Its remains have now been found, like those discovered two years ago, almost on the very seashore, under the base of a glacier that begins at the top of the mountain and descends to the coast. The natural flow of ice has been "dragging" the remains of the plane with it for all these decades and lowering them over a thousand meters below the crash site, almost to sea level. It can be freely said that in this case, the mountain naturally "returned" what ended up on it five decades ago due to human activity and a combination of unfortunate circumstances," said Dr. Vesna Mačić to "Vijesti" on this occasion.
She emphasized that she was particularly impressed by the reverence with which her colleagues from Bulgaria and other countries involved in this expedition approached the collection of the remains of the Argentine military aircraft. This, she says, is another confirmation of the extraordinary international cooperation that is manifested daily in various examples in that distant and isolated part of the world, where many countries that have their permanent or temporary scientific research stations and bases in Antarctica constantly help and cooperate with each other.
"In this inhospitable and cold environment, mutual respect between people from different nations and countries is confirmed every day, as is a warm, friendly atmosphere that reflects a sense of humanity and solidarity, from which today's so-called civilization in the rest of the world could really learn a lot," said Dr. Mačić.
During the ceremony on board the "Sv. Kiril i Metodii", Lieutenant Agustin Vieira da Costa expressed gratitude on behalf of the Argentine Navy for the Bulgarian crew and other foreign scientists paying tribute to his long-lost compatriots and assisting in the transport of the remains. According to him, these are acts of noble cooperation and friendship, worthy of respect.
The remains of the wreckage of the Argentine "Neptune" will, as was already the case with the parts of that plane found two years ago, be handed over to representatives of the Argentine Navy Museum in Mar del Plata, thus helping to preserve the memory of the people who died in this accident, which to this day remains Argentina's greatest national tragedy in its Antarctic exploration.
On September 15, 1976, the Argentine Navy's "Locheed P-2 Neptune" patrol aircraft, tactical designation 2-P-103, took off from the Rio Grande Naval Base airfield and headed south towards Antarctica, with the task of surveying the sea ice conditions in the Drake Passage and the South Shetland Islands, in support of the Argentine icebreaker ARA "General San Martin" operating in the area. There were ten crew members on board - military personnel and one civilian, a journalist for Ushuaia television. However, radio communication with the aircraft was lost and it mysteriously disappeared, so the Argentines launched a major search and rescue operation. Three days later - on September 18, the crash site of the aircraft was spotted on the slopes of Mount Barnard, but there were no survivors. In January 1977, taking advantage of the southern hemisphere summer, the Argentine Army and Navy jointly launched a major search operation in an attempt to find and evacuate the bodies of the fallen airmen from the extremely demanding mountainous terrain of Livingston, covered in snow and ice, at an altitude of about 1.500 meters above sea level and at an inclination of as much as 70 degrees. However, during this mission, a Bell-212 helicopter crashed and its three-member crew died, so the Argentines gave up further attempts to collect the bodies of the dead from these two accidents, which to this day remain their greatest tragedy in Antarctica.
Therefore, the discovery of parts of the wreckage of the crashed "Neptune", which nature itself has in the meantime "lowered" from the inhospitable mountain to the seashore where they were found by Bulgarian and other foreign scientists, now has a special symbolic significance for Argentina and the family members of the victims who never had the opportunity to mourn their loved ones at the grave.
Vieira da Costa: Universal memory and honor do not stop at the borders of nationality
Lieutenant Agustin Vieira da Costa told "Vijesti" that the discovery of the remains of the Argentine aircraft had a strong emotional significance for him, but the ceremony held on board was, he says, particularly moving.
"These events are not just about metal fragments or historical facts; they are first and foremost about people — about lives lost in service and about families who never had the chance to say goodbye. Seeing the respect and dignity shown by the Bulgarian crew and scientists from many countries was deeply moving. It reminded me that memory and honor do not stop at the borders of nationality. For the Argentine Navy, these acts of respect and cooperation have enormous significance. They help preserve the memory of those who perished in Antarctica and provide symbolic closure to one of the most painful chapters of our Antarctic history," he stressed.
He added that international cooperation between Bulgaria and Argentina is essential in Antarctica, as "no country acts in isolation there."
"The Antarctic Treaty System is based on cooperation, shared responsibility and mutual assistance, and this mission is a clear example of that spirit in practice. Bulgaria's scientific work and logistical capacities, combined with Argentina's long-standing experience in Antarctica, create a strong and complementary partnership. In this case, the cooperation has allowed an important historical discovery linked to Argentina's Antarctic history to be properly documented, protected and honoured with dignity. Beyond science and logistics, this cooperation strengthens trust between countries and confirms the idea that Antarctica is a place where humanity works together, regardless of borders," stressed the Argentine naval officer, who said the experience on the Bulgarian ship "St. Cyril and Methodius" was very "positive, professionally very enriching."
"From the very first day, I felt fully included in the ship's routine and warmly welcomed, both by the Bulgarian Navy crew and the international scientific team. Working in such a demanding environment as Antarctica requires trust, discipline and mutual respect, and these values are strongly present on this ship. In addition to the operational and navigational aspects, what stands out the most is the human dimension: people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds working together with a common goal. Being part of this mission was a privilege, not only as a naval officer, but also as a witness to how international cooperation works at its best in one of the most remote regions of the planet," he concluded.
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