After serving in the Falklands War, the ARA Bahía Paraíso was repurposed to supply Argentina’s Antarctic research stations and to carry tourists through the icy seas.
In 1989, the Bahía Paraíso struck a rock about two miles south of Anvers Island and slowly sank into the Southern Ocean. All 81 tourists and 234 crew members survived and were brought to the nearby U.S. Palmer Station until passing vessels could return them to South America.
Although there was no loss of life, the wreck caused severe ecological damage. Roughly 200,000 gallons of oil spilled into the ocean, creating a 20-square-mile slick that devastated local wildlife. Bird populations plummeted, and the once-lush algal mats were stripped away.
By 1993, most of the oil had been cleaned up, but the site still reeks faintly of fuel. The ship remains visible just below the waterline, a corroding ghost of its former self, and has become a popular excursion for Palmer Station staff. Inside the base, a few relics from the ship, including a life preserver, serve as reminders of the disaster.
