A rare mid-winter rescue flight recently evacuated a member of the United States Antarctic Program needing emergency medical care. (Australian Antarctic Division)
A rare midwinter medical evacuation from Antarctica carried a seriously ill member of the U.S. Antarctic Program more than 2,300 miles to New Zealand after an international rescue effort in darkness and temperatures near minus 45 degrees.
The National Science Foundation requested assistance from the Australian Antarctic Division and New Zealand Defence Force after the individual required emergency care at McMurdo Station, NSF spokeswoman Cassandra Eichner said by email Friday.
The patient arrived in Christchurch on July 31 and was admitted to Christchurch Hospital in serious condition, Eichner said. She did not provide further details.
“Winter medical evacuations occur infrequently and can be extremely dangerous, requiring significant skill and experience to execute successfully,” she said.
The Australian Antarctic Division partnered with Melbourne-based aviation company Skytraders for the mission, according to a Friday news release.
An Airbus A319 left Hobart with a medical team and other specialists aboard and reached McMurdo about five hours later.
The aircraft landed in complete darkness as temperatures fell to about minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit and conditions deteriorated, the division said. Crews transferred the patient aboard and flew to Christchurch.
“This was a complex operation carried out in the depths of the Antarctic winter, and it highlights both the capability of our people and the strong partnerships that underpin Antarctic programs around the world,” Australian Antarctic Division Director Emma Campbell said in the release.
The Australian Antarctic Division partnered with aviation company Skytraders to evacuated a member of the United States Antarctic Program from McMurdo Station July 31. (Australian Antarctic Division)
The New Zealand Defence Force also supported the evacuation, according to the NSF.
McMurdo, on Ross Island, is the largest U.S. research station in Antarctica and the principal logistics hub for the U.S. Antarctic Program. It hosts about 1,100 people during the austral summer but fewer than 200 during winter.
Winter personnel contend with continuous darkness, rapidly changing visibility and temperatures that can fall below minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit, Eichner said.
On-station U.S. Antarctic Program responders provided medical care until the evacuation could be carried out.
The U.S. military normally supports Antarctic research with ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft that move personnel, fuel and cargo during the southern summer, when operating conditions are more favorable.
Pilot Al Wallach said the successful evacuation reflected years of preparation and coordination among flight crews, meteorologists, planners, runway personnel and medical teams.
“Every Antarctic mission demands absolute precision, but winter operations raise the complexity significantly,” he said in the release.
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