A sponge is seen floating in the sea 30km south of the last contact position registered by the missing C-130 Hercules plane of the Chilean Air Force, on December 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Joel Estay/AGENCIAUNO)
Brazilian and Chilean rescue teams said Wednesday that they have possibly found remains of the Chilean Air Force plane that vanished on Monday over the Antarctic.
Brazil's Defense Ministry said a rescue ship found parts compatible with the missing aircraft.
Around 3:45 p.m. local time (1845 GMT), the Admiral Maximiano polar ship of the Brazilian Navy gathered the items compatible with the missing C-130 Hercules plane of the Chilean Air Force, the ministry said in a statement.
The remains were located some 280 nautical miles (518 km) from Ushuaia, Argentina.
Brazil's polar ship remains in the area, cooperating with Chile in the search operation, the ministry added.
Separately, Chile's Air Force said it has found pieces of sponge floating at sea 30 km south of the last position registered by the plane in the Drake Passage.
The air force was gathering samples of the sponge material for the investigation.
Some 640 people are taking part in the search and rescue operation, as well as 21 aircraft, 10 ships and four satellites from different countries.
The Chilean Air Force reported Monday that it lost track of a plane with 38 people on board.
The aircraft was en route from the southern city of Punta Arenas to Antarctica with 17 crew members and 21 passengers aborad, it said.
The air force lost contact with the plane when it was some 700 km from Punta Arenas and 500 km from its destination.
