A retired lieutenant colonel has started his year off by travelling to the Falkland Islands. Robin Swanson, who is head of the Falkland Island De-mining Programme Office, headed to the Falklands to oversee a land mine clearance project.
During the project, he will fence off areas of land that are dangerous because of land mines and release safe land that can be used recreationally.
Speaking before he left for the Falklands, 56 year old Lt Col Swanson said: “The most important difference about this second phase is that the project aim is to release land which is currently unavailable for social use but is considered to be safe.”
Large areas of land are still dangerous following the 1982 Falklands War. The project hopes to be able to release Sappers Hill Corral, a landmark that has been fenced off for the last 30 years.
Lt Col Swanson was a Royal Engineer in the British Army for 34 years. He visited the Falkland Islands in 2009 for the first stage of the project.
He said: “I am hoping the weather will be more on our side as last time it was the worst weather on record. It’s a very hostile environment and the terrain is particularly tough.
“We had a tremendous amount of support from the islanders during the first phase of the pilot de-mining project and I am sure we will receive the same welcome and support again.”