Red River Sparks Environmental Alarm in Argentina

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina today, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremor, which occurred early this afternoon, was followed by two suspected aftershocks. The epicenter of the quake was located in the Pacific Ocean, with significant impact reported in nearby coastal areas. Authorities have yet to assess the full extent of damage or report any casualties. Evacuations and safety measures are being taken as communities brace for possible aftershocks. Local emergency services are on high alert following the seismic event, with the National Seismological Center monitoring the situation closely. Given the region's history of seismic activity, officials are urging residents to stay prepared and follow safety protocols in the aftermath of the earthquake. The earthquake's timing and location have prompted discussions about preparedness in seismic-prone areas, particularly in light of the recent series of quakes affecting the region.

A Skyvan PA-51 aircraft, historically used by Argentina’s military dictatorship to carry out "death flights" during the 1970s, has been returned to Buenos Aires and is now on display at the ESMA museum. This plane was discovered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2008 by journalist Miriam Lewin and Italian photographer Giancarlo Ceraudo, shedding light on the regime's methods of terror, which included dropping alleged dissidents from the aircraft into the South Atlantic Ocean. The military dictatorship, responsible for the disappearance of up to 30,000 people during the Dirty War, utilized these flights to eliminate evidence of their crimes, according to Lewin, a former political prisoner herself. The plane reportedly logged evidence linking it to several death flights, and the identification of its pilots led to life sentences for those involved in these atrocities in 2017. The Skyvan’s return is part of Argentina’s ongoing efforts to confront its past. The ESMA museum now serves as a memorial for the victims and as an educational space for future generations about the horrors of state terrorism.

A Skyvan PA-51 aircraft, notorious for its use in Argentina's military dictatorship during the "Dirty War," has been returned to Buenos Aires after being located in Florida. The plane had been utilized for "death flights," where alleged dissidents were sedated and then thrown from the aircraft into the South Atlantic Ocean, a grim method implemented to eliminate evidence of the dictatorship's crimes, as recounted by journalist Miriam Lewin, who survived imprisonment under the regime. The plane was found in 2008 by Lewin and Italian photographer Giancarlo Ceraudo at a skydiving facility in Fort Lauderdale. Unaware of its dark history, the facility’s owners provided vital logs connecting the aircraft to various death flights, including one that coincidentally helped identify victims later recovered along the Argentine coast. In June 2023, the Skyvan was officially returned to Argentina and is now displayed at ESMA, a museum dedicated to the victims of the military coup, signifying a significant step in confronting past atrocities.