site.btaCommemorative Event Held Aboard RSV 421 Next to Fragments of Crashed Argentine Aircraft Found by Bulgarian Researchers in Antarctica

A commemorative ceremony was held aboard the Bulgarian naval research and survey vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) on Sunday for Argentine researchers who lost their lives in Antarctica in 1976. The researchers died in a plane crash, fragments of which were found by Bulgarian researchers at the end of January during the collection of geological samples in the area of Livingston Island's False Bay and Barnard Point. Sunday's commemorative event took place in the same area, the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy reported Monday.

It was initially believed the fragments were part of a C-130 Hercules transport airplane that the Chilean Air Force lost in the area of the Drake Passage in 2019. However, Bulgarian geologists Kalin Naydenov and Kiril Doskov and climbers Doychin Boyanov and Marcho Paunov later found a part of the sun on Argentina's flag, confirming that the fragments  belong to a Neptune 2-P-103 of the Argentine Naval Research Squadron.

Early on September 15, 1976, the aircraft took off  from the Rio Grande Naval Base with a ten-member crew to research the state of the ice in the Drake Passage and near the South Shetland Islands. The communication with the aircraft was lost, and a crash site was later established on one of the slopes of Bernard Mountain on Livingston Island.  No survivors were found. In January 1977, during a search for the crew's bodies, a BELL 212 helicopter crashed; all three crew members died.

Attending Sunday's commemorative ceremony were scientists on the expedition from the Spanish Geographical Association and Argentine polar researchers. The ceremony was unveiled by the head of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Flotilla Admiral Boyan Mednikarov.

Lieutenant-Commander Lucas Acosta, representative of the Argentine Navy assisting the Bulgarian ship's navigation in Antarctic waters, recalled the tragic events' chronology. The crash of the aircraft and the helicopter are the biggest tragedy in the history of Argentina's presence in Antacrtica, he said. 

Bulgarian Ambassador to Argentina Stoyan Mihaylov, who is part of the Bulgarian Antarctic expedition, said that this tragedy is a valuable lesson for the immeasurable challenges, dangers, and risks that accompany Man's strive to uncover Antarctica's secrets.

32nd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition head Prof Hristo Pimpirev said that the members of these crews worked for science, peace and humanity's future. "Unfortunately, they left their lives, but they flew towards the Sun, which is depicted on this aircraft's fragments," he added.

RSV 421 Commanding Officer Nikolay Danailov reminded the crew the importance of observing the security procedures. "Bulgaria is among the strong nations in Antarctica, and that is proven daily thanks to you as crew in combat camaraderie, which gives results and receives gratitude from all polar nations in Antartica's western part," he said.

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, who attended the ceremony as a participant in the 3rd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition, committed to send a news piece on the event to the Argentine national news agency, TELAM. The two agencies have a partnership agreement.