site.btaBulgarian Naval Academy Presents Badge of Honour to Argentinian Corvette Captain for Role in Bulgarian Antarctic Voyage

The rector of the Varna Naval Academy Flotilla Admiral Boyan Mednikarov presented a badge to Lieutenant-Commander Lucas Acosta, an operations officer of the Argentine Navy, who has been assisting in the navigation in the waters off Argentina and in the Southern Ocean, said the Naval Academy press office Tuesday.

At a ceremony on board the Bulgarian naval research ship Sv. Sv. Kiril I Metodii (RSV 421), in front of the crew, he was awarded for his contribution to the Antarctic voyage of RSV 421 to the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island where it supported the Bulgarian researchers. 

The ceremony takes place before the ship reached the Argentine port of Mar del Plata, where Lieutenant-Commander Acosta will disembark.

The Commanding Officer of RSV 421, Commander Nikolay Danailov, emphasized that the interaction of Lieutenant-Commander Acosta at the operational level with the Argentine Armada, with the naval bases and the military bases on Antarctica “have contributed to the increase of the feasibility of the common tasks in scientific research on the Ice Continent”, the press release says.

"I am glad that we were also able to help seal the base on Media Luna Island with our resources, which was damaged by harsh weather or people. In this way we helped the Argentine Armada. We left food supplies and water there - just in case. By helping the Argentine Navy, we are returning their gesture to send an Argentine naval officer to us every year," said Commander Nikolay Danailov.

Lieutenant-Commander Acosta said he was honored and proud to be part of the crew of RSV 421 and of the 32nd Bulgarian Antarctic expedition. “It was a great experience and an opportunity to meet wonderful people and very, very professional seamen!" said he.

Lieutenant-Commander Acosta boarded the Antarctica-bound RSV 421 at Mar del Plata on December 21, 2023 and assisted in the navigation along the coast of Argentina and into the Southern Ocean for 64 days. He was promoted to the rank of corvette captain in the Argentine Navy in January 2024 while he was aboard the Bulgarian ship.

It was his third voyage (after 2014 and 2016) to Antarctica and the eighth time to cross the Drake Passage.