The Argentinean authorities have formally requested that Spain extradite Julio Poch, a Transavia pilot suspected of involvement in the deaths of thousands of opponents of the military dictatorship that ruled the South American country between 1976 and 1983.

At the request of the Argentinean Public Prosecutor's Office, Spanish police arrested the 57-year-old pilot last week at Valencia airport. Mr Poch, who holds both Dutch and Argentinean citizenship, is suspected of piloting death flights: opponents of the military junta were drugged and thrown into the sea from planes.

His past came to light in 2007 when he boasted about his actions to his colleagues at Transavia airlines, a subsidiary of Air France-KLM. Mr Poch said he had no regrets about what he had done. His colleagues informed the authorities.
 

Earlier, Transavia said that it was aware of the rumours about Mr Poch's past but that no action was taken as the AIVD, the Dutch secret service, had cleared the pilot.
 

According to the Argentine authorities, around 11,000 political opponents of dictator Jorge Videla disappeared during the Dirty War. Human rights groups say at least 30,000 people were murdered by the regime.