Transporte Aéreo Rioplatense
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cargo airline |
| Founded | December 1969 |
| Founder | Carlos F. Martinez Guerrero and partners |
| Defunct | 1989 |
| Headquarters | Argentina |
Area served | International |
| Products | Cargo air transport |
Transporte Aéreo Rioplatense SACL was an Argentine cargo airline that operated primarily during the 1970s and 1980s.
History
Established in December 1969 by Carlos F. Martinez Guerrero and his partners, the airline commenced its services in July 1970. The company introduced its inaugural aircraft, a Canadair CL-44 freighter, into operation by March 1971. Initial service routes connected Buenos Aires with Houston, focusing on cattle transportation, before rapidly expanding to global ad hoc charter flights and incorporating three additional CL-44 aircraft. Starting in September 1976, scheduled flights were launched to Houston, Miami, and Basel, Switzerland.
In 1978, TAR added its first Boeing 707 freighter to the fleet, purchased from Dan-Air, followed by a second unit in 1979. The arrival of these jets initiated the phased withdrawal of the CL-44 planes.
1981 CL-44 crash
During 1981, TAR was engaged in transporting arms from Israel to Iran as part of secret operations linked to support for Nicaraguan contras and involvement in the Iran–Iraq War. The airline was responsible for moving approximately 360 tons of military cargo.
On 18 July 1981, a CL-44 returning to Cyprus after completing its third delivery inadvertently entered Soviet airspace over Azerbaijan. It was intercepted by a Soviet Su-15 fighter jet, which collided with the aircraft’s tail section. This impact caused the plane to crash near the Soviet–Turkish border, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members aboard. The Soviet authorities asserted that the collision was an intentional aerial ramming.
Despite this tragic event, Transporte Aéreo Rioplatense maintained operations throughout the 1980s until ceasing activities around 1989.
Fleet
- 2 Boeing 707-320C (registrations LV-MZE and LV-MSG)
- 1 Canadair CL-44-6 (originally LV-PRX; later LV-JZB)
- 2 Canadair CL-44-D4 (LV-PRM and LV-JZN)