NZ Air Force Rescues Sick American in Antarctica

Evacuation flight to McMurdo station a success
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 14, 2010 2:00 AM CDT
NZ Air Force Rescues Sick American in Antarctica
September is one of the coldest months of the year at McMurdo Station.   (AP Photo/National Science Foundation, File)

New Zealand's air force has successfully accomplished a rare winter evacuation from America's McMurdo Antarctic research station. The flight, with three medical personnel aboard, took advantage of a brief break in blizzard conditions to land in temperatures of minus 32 degrees Fahrenheit and pick up a sick American worker, CNN reports. Weather conditions thwarted an earlier rescue attempt. The worker is in serious but stable condition, and will be hospitalized when the rescue flight reaches New Zealand.

No other information about the worker was immediately available. Eleven years ago an American doctor at McMurdo had to perform breast cancer surgery on herself because she couldn't be evacuated, and medical support personnel couldn't land due to weather conditions.
(More New Zealand stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X