Pilot arrested on death flight charges (update)

Spanish police have arrested a pilot for Dutch airline Transavia in connection with his role in carrying out death flights when Argentina was ruled by a military junta, according to Spanish media reports.


One of the ways the junta dealt with opponents was to drug them and throw them out of planes over the Atlantic ocean to drown. Argentina was ruled by the junta between 1976 and 1983.
The man is reported to have Dutch and Argentine nationality. He was due to fly back from Valencia to Amsterdam on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Telegraaf, several of the pilot’s Transavia colleagues say he has made no secret of his role during the Junta period. In addition, Transavia management are aware of his past, the paper says.
The paper claims the pilot, whom it names as Julio Poch, was about to make his last flight when arrested. He was accompanied by his son, also a pilot and his wife was on board the plane. He lives in Zuidschermer, the paper says.

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