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Planes land in Antarctica for dramatic south pole rescue after risky flight Plane makes risky journey to south pole to rescue sick worker
(about 2 hours later)
A plane has landed at the south pole following a freezing and risky 1,500-mile midwinter flight to evacuate a worker who needs urgent medical treatment from a research centre. A plane has visited and left the south pole to evacuate a sick worker who needs urgent medical treatment, following a freezing and risky 1,500-mile midwinter flight.
The Twin Otter aircraft – the only type of plane in the world capable of flying in the -60C temperatures of the polar midwinter – has landed at the US science station after a nine-hour flight from the British Rothera base on the Antarctic peninsula. The Twin Otter aircraft – the only type of plane in the world capable of flying in the -60C temperatures of the polar midwinter – began its return journey from the US science station to the British Rothera base on the Antarctic peninsula. The flight takes approximately nine hours each way.
The plane’s three-strong crew and a medical team member will rest at least 10 hours before, if the weather conditions are sufficiently calm, they fly the sick worker back to Rothera, which is operated by the British Antarctic Survey. Once back in Rothera, the plane’s three-strong crew and a medical team member will rest before flying the patient to South America for treatment.
The National Science Foundation (NSF), which runs the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, decided last week to mount the rescue mission because a staff member required urgent medical attention that could not be provided on the base.The National Science Foundation (NSF), which runs the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, decided last week to mount the rescue mission because a staff member required urgent medical attention that could not be provided on the base.
They will then be flown on to South America for treatment. The patient’s identity and the nature of the medical emergency has not been made public. The NSF has said that the patient, a man, is an employee of Lockheed Martin, which organises logistics at the base. “It went all according to plan,” said Peter West, a spokesman for the NSF. West said at least one worker and possibly two support crew employed by logistics contractor Lockheed Martin had to be evacuated. The agency would not identify the sick workers or their conditions, citing medical privacy.
“It went all according to plan,” said Peter West, a spokesman for the NSF. West told Associated Press that a second worker is also ill, but officials have yet to decide whether they will also be flown out This is only the third midwinter emergency evacuation from the station. Workers there are otherwise isolated from February to October, when the cold and dark makes routine flights too perilous.
This will be only the third midwinter emergency evacuation from the station. Workers there are otherwise isolated from February to October, when the cold and dark makes routine flights too perilous.
Weather readings showed the temperature at the South Pole station on Tuesday was -60C. According to West, the Twin Otter can operate in conditions as cold as -75C. Before it takes off, the fuel, batteries and hydraulics need to be warmed.Weather readings showed the temperature at the South Pole station on Tuesday was -60C. According to West, the Twin Otter can operate in conditions as cold as -75C. Before it takes off, the fuel, batteries and hydraulics need to be warmed.
Two Twin Otters – the second an emergency rescue back-up – are operated by the Canadian airline Kenn Borek and left Calgary, Canada, on 14 June.Two Twin Otters – the second an emergency rescue back-up – are operated by the Canadian airline Kenn Borek and left Calgary, Canada, on 14 June.
Related: Winter solstice: brave souls mark southern hemisphere's darkest day with icy dipRelated: Winter solstice: brave souls mark southern hemisphere's darkest day with icy dip
After arriving at the Rothera base, one of the planes set out early on Tuesday to begin the 10-hour, 1,500-mile journey to the polar station. The other is staying at Rothera in case it is needed for search and rescue.After arriving at the Rothera base, one of the planes set out early on Tuesday to begin the 10-hour, 1,500-mile journey to the polar station. The other is staying at Rothera in case it is needed for search and rescue.
The rescue flight is fraught with perils. “[Antarctica] is a landmass the size of the US and Mexico combined, so there is a distance issue,” West said. “And it’s cold – it is literally midwinter today. It’s very cold.”The rescue flight is fraught with perils. “[Antarctica] is a landmass the size of the US and Mexico combined, so there is a distance issue,” West said. “And it’s cold – it is literally midwinter today. It’s very cold.”
This kind of midwinter rescue has been attempted only twice before; once in 2001 – when the base’s only physician came down with a potentially fatal case of pancreatitis – and once in 2003. Both airlifts were successful.This kind of midwinter rescue has been attempted only twice before; once in 2001 – when the base’s only physician came down with a potentially fatal case of pancreatitis – and once in 2003. Both airlifts were successful.
In 1999, the station’s doctor, Jerri Nielsen, who had breast cancer and had been treating herself, was also flown out. However, this happened in the Antarctic spring, when conditions are slightly better.In 1999, the station’s doctor, Jerri Nielsen, who had breast cancer and had been treating herself, was also flown out. However, this happened in the Antarctic spring, when conditions are slightly better.
The polar base is currently home to 39 men and nine women, engaged in various scientific and station maintenance endeavours, including long-term atmospheric CO2 monitoring.The polar base is currently home to 39 men and nine women, engaged in various scientific and station maintenance endeavours, including long-term atmospheric CO2 monitoring.
It has two radio-telescopes which, according to the NSF, use cosmic microwave background radiation to investigate the early history of the universe, looking into dark energy and dark matter, and is home to the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory, which observes the behaviour of subatomic particles produced by black holes.It has two radio-telescopes which, according to the NSF, use cosmic microwave background radiation to investigate the early history of the universe, looking into dark energy and dark matter, and is home to the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory, which observes the behaviour of subatomic particles produced by black holes.