Argentine Dictatorship’s Infamous ‘Death Flight’ Plane Returns Home for Historical Reckoning

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Flying from Florida to Buenos Aires typically takes about 10 hours, but the recent arrival of a turboprop plane in Argentina was far from ordinary. After a 20-day journey, many Argentines eagerly monitored its progress on flight tracking software.

The Short SC.7 Skyvan carried no valuable cargo or VIP passengers. Instead, it symbolizes another avenue for Argentines to confront the brutal history of their country’s military dictatorship, which lasted from 1976 to 1983.

This particular plane, found in the United States, is the first aircraft proven in court to have been used by Argentina’s junta to carry political detainees to their deaths in what became known as the “death flights”—one of the most chilling atrocities of that bloody era.

Argentina’s government intends to house the plane in the Museum of Memory, situated within the infamous former secret detention center of the junta, known as the ESMA. It was in this facility that numerous detainees were later thrown alive from the “death flights” into the ocean or rivers.

Among the victims associated with the returned plane is Azucena Villaflor, whose son Néstor disappeared and was presumed murdered early in the dictatorship. Following his disappearance, she founded the group Mothers of Plaza de Mayo to demand information about the missing children and was subsequently detained and killed herself.

Cecilia De Vincenti, Villaflor’s daughter, emphasized the significance of the plane’s inclusion in history, stating, “As family members, it’s crucial to us that the plane becomes part of history because both the bodies and the aircraft bear witness to what actually happened.”

The return of the plane was made possible by Giancarlo Ceraudo, an Italian photographer who spent years searching for the “death flight” planes. This particular plane had later served as a mail carrier in Florida and, more recently, transported skydivers in Arizona.

Throughout his quest, Ceraudo encountered countless people who failed to grasp why he persistently sought the junta’s aircraft, especially considering that the bodies of many victims of the dictatorship remain undiscovered.

Ceraudo explained in an interview, “The planes had to be recovered because they were an important piece, like the (Nazi) gas chambers, a terrible tool.”

Argentina’s junta is widely regarded as the most lethal among the military dictatorships that ruled much of Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s. It detained, tortured, and executed individuals suspected of opposing the regime. Human rights organizations estimate that around 30,000 people were killed, many of whom disappeared without a trace.

A significant number of these victims vanished during the “death flights.” Survivors testified during an extensive trial from 2012 to 2017, revealing that these flights occurred at least weekly. Prisoners were often deceived into thinking they were being released and were sometimes forced to celebrate by dancing to loud music. They were then administered a supposed vaccination that turned out to be a potent sedative. As the drug took effect, they were blindfolded, bound, and loaded onto planes.

The trial, which resulted in 29 former officials receiving life sentences, conclusively demonstrated that the dictatorship systematically employed death flights as a means of extermination. The Skyvan aircraft, recently returned to Buenos Aires, was specifically linked to the murder of Villaflor and 11 other detainees.

Prosecutors admit it is impossible to determine the total number of detainees who were thrown from the planes. However, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, a non-governmental organization, reports that at least 71 bodies of suspected death flight victims washed up along the coast—44 in Argentina and 27 in neighboring Uruguay.

Between December 1977 and February 1978, the bodies of five women, including Villaflor, two other members of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, and two French nuns who were assisting mothers in their search for loved ones, were discovered. They were buried anonymously and remained unidentified until 2005.

Ceraudo collaborated with Miriam Lewin, a journalist and survivor of the ESMA, in the search for the planes. By meticulously scouring websites where plane spotters kept track of aircraft, they managed to locate them.

Of the five Skyvan planes known to have been involved in the death flights, two were destroyed during the 1982 conflict between Argentina and Britain over the Falkland Islands. The remaining three were sold in 1994 to CAE Aviation, a company based in Luxembourg. One of those planes was then sold to GB Airlink, which used it for private mail services between Florida and the Bahamas.

After a campaign led by De Vincenti and other human rights activists, Argentina’s government decided to acquire the plane. It was eventually found at a skydiving facility in Phoenix.

Obtaining such an old plane proved challenging. It became stranded in Jamaica for two weeks after experiencing engine failure shortly after takeoff. Inclement weather also caused a delay of several days in Bolivia.

Since 2006, Argentina has held 296 trials related to crimes against humanity committed during the dictatorship era, following the overturning of amnesty laws. During these trials, 1,115 individuals have been convicted, as reported by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Activists argue that displaying the plane will help Argentines comprehend the reality of the dictatorship, particularly younger generations who were born and raised in a democratic environment that shielded them from the terror of those years, as journalist Miriam Lewin affirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about dictatorship-era crimes against humanity

More about dictatorship-era crimes against humanity

• Argentina’s Dirty War: A Dark Legacy
• Museum of Memory ESMA
• Mothers of Plaza de Mayo
• The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team
• The Trial of Argentine Military Juntas