 Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa will coordinate rescue tasks of ships which might suffer accidents near Antarctica, informed Jose Retamales, president of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP).
These five nations are the only ones with maritime responsibility in Antarctica and they'll manage and plan rescue operatives, according to a decision of delegates of 28 countries presentment in the yearly COMNAP meeting held recently at Buenos Aires.
Last serious accident in Antarctica happened in November of 2007, when tourism cruiser "Explorer" wrecked near South Shetland islands with 185,000 liters of gasoil on board.
Argentina and Chile naval forces helped the "Explorer" crewmembers, at first taken to Chilean Antarctic Base Frei and then to Punta Arenas (Chile).
According to 1961 Antarctic Treaty, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the five countries with naval "primary maritime responsibility of search and rescue" at the so called "white continent". |
