A team from Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air has arrived at a remote research station in Antarctica and will attempt to transport an American with an undisclosed medical condition out of the area.
There are 48 people wintering at the National Science Foundation's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and the patient is part of the seasonal crew and needs medical attention that cannot be provided on site.
A decision was made to send in a crew to evacuate the patient and two planes set out on the mission from Calgary on June 14, 2016.
Both planes landed safely at the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Station on Monday and crews then prepared the aircraft for landing on snow and ice at the pole.
The crew of the Twin Otter plane took advantage of a favourable weather window on Tuesday morning and left Rothera Station at about 10:00 MST.
They touched down at the Amundsen-Scott Station at about 3:00 p.m. local time after travelling about 1500 miles.
The crew will now rest up for about 10 hours and will then evaluate whether or not it’s safe to proceed with the evacuation and return flight.
“The plane will now remain at the Pole for roughly 10 hours to allow the aircrew to rest,” reads a statement from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
“The crew will then assess weather conditions at both the Pole and the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Station before flying back to Rothera,” the statement goes on.
The mission is challenging because of the near-total darkness and extreme weather but the planes are equipped to operate in those kinds of conditions.
Kenn Borek Air crews have conducted similar rescues in the area before; once in 2001 and again in 2003.
