The Air Force of New Zealand carried out an almost 20-hour medical evacuation to save three Americans from Antarctica, and called it a risky mission made in freezing temperatures and total darkness.
The US National Science Foundation requested the evacuation after three employees at McMurdo station were unable to get harmless medical treatment on site.
One of the people needed urgent care, while the other two also needed medical help and were transported as a precaution, according to the Air Force of New Zealand.
Air Commodore Andy Scott, head of the air component of New Zealand, said that the mid-winter flights to Antarctica should be one of the most difficult missions because of changing weather, extreme cold and ice in total darkness.
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The Air Force of New Zealand carried out an almost 20-hour mission this week to evacuate three American researchers in Antarctica. (Royal New Zealand Air Force)
“The crew can only try the flight after detailed analysis of the weather and the airport state,” said Scott. “The winter team of the United States Antarctic program must physically create the runway before we can leave by ensuring that the ice is cared for and is suitable for landing.
“Although they determine that it is safe, it is still an extremely challenging environment to fly in on Night Vision glasses because of the extreme weather conditions, which are very changeable at this time of the year and make a precise prediction a challenge,” he added. “This, in combination with the fact that there are no airports available to deduce to one once the aircraft is past a certain point in the south, contributes to the risk, so these missions are not taken lightly.”
A medical team, including a doctor, accompanied the crew to provide care during the return to Christchurch during the flight.
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The Air Force of New Zealand carried out an almost 20-hour mission this week to evacuate three American researchers in Antarctica. (Royal New Zealand Air Force)
The plane was positioned in advance from Auckland to Christchurch on Sunday, with a crew on standby for a weather window.
The crew made the decision on Tuesday to fly to Antarctica and worked all night to complete the mission.
After landing on the ice rink, the motorbikes of the plane continued to run to prevent the freezing point from refueling, the Air Force said.
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The Air Force of New Zealand carried out an almost 20-hour mission this week to evacuate three American researchers in Antarctica. (Royal New Zealand Air Force)
The return mission lasted 19.5 hours, with the plane touching in Christchurch on Wednesday morning.
The temperatures at McMurdo station fell to -11 ° F during the operation, which contributed to the already dangerous circumstances.
Melissa Sweeney, the American Chargé d’Affaires to New -Zeeland, praised the operation as ‘flawless’.
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“We are so grateful. Our Kiwi partners did not hesitate to undertake this mission in one of the most ruthless environments on earth. Their skills and willingness are really world class,” she said.
Reuters has contributed to this report.
