On October 29, 1969, the Argentine Air Force officially inaugurated the Vicecomodoro Marambio Air Base (now known as the Marambio Joint Antarctic Base WAP ARG-21) in Antarctica.
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A specialized Argentine Air Force team known as the “Patrulla Soberanía” (Sovereignty Patrol) spent months living in tents under extreme sub-zero conditions. Using only basic hand tools—such as picks, spades, and shovels—they cleared mud, ice, and heavy boulders on a high plateau on Seymour Island
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The commissioning of this runway and the subsequent landing of a Fokker F-27 aircraft marked a milestone in the history of the Argentine Antarctic, as it made it possible to overcome isolation and establish a vital air link between the American continent and Antarctica.
The inauguration marked one of the most critical events in Antarctic history because it broke the isolation of the continent. Prior to this date, Antarctica could only be reached during the brief summer season, and exclusively by sea.
Currently, Marambio Base (WAP ARG-21) serves as a strategic hub for the development of scientific, logistical, and operational activities, and contributes to sustaining an uninterrupted Argentine presence in the Antarctic sector.
TNX Fundacion Marambio at: https://www.marambio.aq/infoprensa/octubre2026.html