A researcher has been rescued from Antarctica via boat amid a medical emergency, with air evacuation being unavailable due to the Antarctic winter.
The Australian researcher was evacuated from the Casey Research Station in Antarctica due to an undisclosed "developing medical condition," and has successfully boarded the icebreaker ship RSV Nuyina.
"It's the earliest we've ever gone to an Antarctic station—just a day or two after the official end of winter," Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) acting general manager of operations Robb Clifton said, as reported by local news ABC Australia. "But it's still very much winter in Antarctica."
The icebreaker ship traveled over 1,800 miles from Tasmania, Australia, to the Petersen Bank, about 90 miles from the Casey Research Station, having broken through sea ice to get as close as possible to the station. The researcher was then delivered to the ship on Sunday via two helicopters with a medical retrieval team onboard.
"We were really only able to attempt it because of the fantastic capabilities the Nuyina gives us in terms of icebreaking and aircraft capability," Clifton said.
In the summer months, travel to and from Antarctica is done via plane, which can land on an ice runway at Wilkins Aerodrome, near the Casey station. However, in the winter, the ice runway is often unusable, and in this case, would have needed weeks of preparation for safe use. Therefore, it was decided that despite the distance, it would be faster to evacuate the sick researcher using the icebreaker by around three to four weeks. The helicopters were able to fly between the base and the ship during a break in the brutal winter weather.
Casey Research Station is one of three permanent Antarctic stations run by the AAD, and among the 70 research bases across the icy continent. Only between 15 and 20 people live at the Casey Research Station during the winter, during which temperatures can plunge to around -35 F. During the winter, Casey only experiences a few hours of daylight every day: locations closer to the south pole experience near-total darkness between the months of March and September.
Three doctors are on board the icebreaker to care for the unwell researcher during the journey back to Tasmania.
"The expeditioner will be looked after in the Nuyina's specially equipped and designed medical facility by our polar medicine doctors and Royal Hobart Hospital medical staff," Clifton said. "Getting this expeditioner back to Tasmania for the specialist medical care required is our priority."
The ship is due to arrive back in Tasmania next week, ocean weather conditions depending.
"The expeditioner's family is being kept fully informed of the situation. All other personnel on stations are accounted for and safe," Clifton said.
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Jess Thomson is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London UK. Her focus is reporting on science, technology and healthcare. ... Read more
