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Subscribe to RSSA specialist medical team from Australia was dispatched to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica to airlift an ill American to a hospital in New Zealand. NBC's Keith Miller reports.
Updated at 8: 01 a.m. ET: An Australian team successfully evacuated a member of a U.S. government Antarctic expedition in apparent need of urgent surgery on Thursday, after a rare mid-winter emergency flight involving landing on an ice runway.
"The patient has been taken to (a) hospital for treatment in Christchurch," spokeswoman Patti Lucas of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) research program told NBC News. Australian officials did not have details about the expeditioner's age or sex, she added.
The pilots took advantage of the short twilight to land the plane, after completing the most perilous part of its journey when it touched down after the five-hour flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, The Australian reported.
From the archives: Why Antarctic rescues are so dangerous
The plane landed on an ice runway known as Pegasus near McMurdo Station, one of a handful of landing strips in Antarctica that can accommodate wheeled aircraft.
During the rescue temperatures hit -13 F at the station, one of three year-round research outposts the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) runs in Antarctica, although otherwise conditions were described as "perfect," The Australian reported.
Marianne Okal / AFP - Getty Images, file
An Australian A319 Airbus sits in the U.S.'s McMurdo Station on the southern tip of Ross Island in Antarctica. An Australian government A319 carrying a medical team made a successful landing on the station's ice runway on Thursday to rescue a sick American scientist.
Flights to Antarctica are usually only made in the summer, but the NSF on Wednesday said the patient "may require immediate corrective surgery."
The NSF's Debbie Wing earlier told NBC News that a U.S. C-17 aircraft was on standby in case the Airbus could not manage the trip.
The NSF had asked for help on the emergency mission and were in charge of the operation.
Vast Antarctic ice sheet 'in play' with global warming
McMurdo Station, established in 1955, is the largest Antarctic station, according to the National Science Foundation.
According to the U.S. Antarctic Program's website:
"McMurdo Station ... the main U.S. station in Antarctica, is a coastal station at the southern tip of Ross Island, about 3,864 km (2,415 miles) south of Christchurch, New Zealand, and 1,360 km (850 miles) north of the South Pole. The original station was built in 1955 to 1956 for the International Geophysical Year. Today's station is the primary logistics facility for supply of inland stations and remote field camps, and is also the waste management center for much of the U.S. Antarctic Program. Year-round and summer science projects are supported at McMurdo."
AAD director Tony Fleming earlier told the AFP news service that all countries with an interest in Antarctica "work together very cooperatively in these sorts of emergency situations in Antarctica to provide support when and as required."
Similar evacuations from the icy continent rare, with the last such rescue having happened in October 2011, when an American scientist suffered a stroke at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and had to be airlifted out.
Around 30 countries operate permanent research stations in Antarctica, the AFP reported.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
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Maybe it is time to station two doctors on site. I remember a lady doctor having serious medical problem there a few years ago.. Better medical screenings may help keep this from happening again in the future. I sometimes wonder if the research they do produces a return of the investment. The plane trip probably cost several thousand dollars but its worth it to save a life
I'm sure they have a doctor or 2 for that matter but the artical stated the person "may require immediate corrective surgery." So a more specialty service is needed beyond the normal "first aid" that the field doctor can handle.
These air support crews who fly in and out of McMurdo and other Antarctic bases are really a unique breed. The word "heroes" and "heroic" are thrown around too frequently these days, but I can't think of a better description for men and women who fly transport planes to Antarctica in the middle of Winter, to rescue a fellow human being in need. And we typically never even read their names, unless something goes wrong and they lose their own lives trying to save others.
I say "Well done" to the men and women of the Australian Antarctic Division air support team, and the US Air Force on standby for a second attempt. You are very special people.
Dr. Knowalittle, I too wonder about the return on investment.
You can do all the screening you want, but people are imperfect creatures and "stuff happens" in spite of it. Even to the healthiest, most fit specimens of our species. They can't cover all medical emergencies with a couple of field doctors.
Yes, I definitely agree that medical screening should play an important part in determining who is staffed at these research stations. I'm sure it is at least considered. Sometimes stuff happens outside our control. I'm glad they were able to land and take off safely this time.
Winter over candidates go through in-depth physical and psychological testing in order to qualify.
A/noon Dr Know..The flight of an A319 airbus from here to McMurdo will be more than "several thousand dollars". There were 5 medical people on board our plane and there were 2 planes. NZ sent a search and rescue plane is case something went wrong and they were watching our backs. If someone is in trouble we are happy to help no matter where they are. What ever the problem with the patient and they are not saying, it could not be handled down there. That is despite McMurdo having the equivalent of "an urgent care centre in the US". But it is not equipped for the procedure they are thinking of doing. So sounds like the condition has come on very severe and very sudden. They are on their way to Christchurch now and I hope the patient is OK.
shona1,
Thanks for your help Australia and I'm very happy that everyone made it out ok.
I think that I can safely say: From America with much love and gratitude
Evening Howard..you are most welcome...compliments of us Aussies and the Kiwi's helped as well...Down here they rely on us and we on them....no one else down this way is close enough to help so just got to get on with it.
shona1,
I hope that you have a wonderful evening its about 8:25 in the morning here and I'm just finally about to sleep for a couple of hours. Those are two lovely countries down there from what I've seen and I'm glad you all look out for each other - and others like us:)
Stay well,
Howard
Evening Howard...it is 10.47pm Thursday night..watching the Olympics but going to have to call it quits soon....Yes we watch out for our mates across the ditch even though we got bagged by them when they were beating us in the Olympics..luckily we are now above them. If we are in trouble they are the first one's there, and we them..has always been that way. So good night from Down Under..hope you make it down here one day...Stay well to...
I bet the Airbus engineers never imagined this flight when they designed the 319. Outstanding resourcefulness. My understanding is that there is a significant screening process for people applying to go there. The place is very much filled with various dangerous conditions. Depending on the work you do, it can be very stressful physically and mentally. Sometimes things go wrong that are beyond the capability of the on site medical staff. They do not call for patient removal unless it is definitely indicated, usually after extensive consultation with specialists located in the countries that support the Antarctica mission. The last thing they need is an extraction plane crashing in hostile conditions. That would massively increase the calls from people in the USA to end participation in and funding of the mission. I am sure that every non scheduled support flight dealing with Antarctica gets reviewed at at a very high level. Why did we have to do this flight? What might we do to avoid having to do it in the future? Is there a pattern of non scheduled support flights indicating a systemic problem?
That is a specially modified Airbus. You have to have enough fuel to make it down and back and more this is not a we need some gas we can land somewhere else kind of a deal. There is no global warming in Antactica in the winter. If you want to check it out the ice around Antartica is getting bigger and the Pole has been setting cold records all year.
They still have ice to land on?? (sarcasm)
Yep, still winter down there, but heading toward spring.
AAhhh, spring- when the temps go up to 3 maybe 4 (above zero!).
The plane has just landed in Christchurch NZ..So all is well....
When else will you see America, Australia and Antarctica all in one headline?
Evening bio...not often I guess but good to know help is at hand if it is required....The Kiwi's had a finger in the pie as well...so a combined effort by all...
Ever see the movie The Thing? Just saying.
My thoughts exactly. This ends badly.
@ middleclass & skinger:
Which version? the original 1950s was a fantastic movie (I saw it in a theater) but, the remade "new and improved" version was so bad I couldn't even watch half of it.
The original location was in the arctic at a station similar to the ones I spent 2 years at. I don't remember where the remake's location.
To those wondering about the physical screening process for Mcmurdo: Even though i passed all of the physical and psychlogical screening for my tour in Alaska (15 men on the station located about 400 miles north of the Arctic Circle) I couldn't pass the tests for Mcmurdo.
A google search a found out this is not just a small station at the bottom of the world. McMurdo Station is pretty big. Even has it's own fire station and ambulance service.
Wow, I just pulled that up on the map and I'm blown away how big this place is. I guess I assumed that it was just one large building, boy was I wrong! Learn something new everyday, thanks for pointing that out :)
it has its own fire dept , but its so cold down there i would just cuddle up next to the fire and let the damm structure burn and enjoy the heat while it last :P
Job well done ... Blessings on the ones who put the patients life first, thats a hard thing to do ...
Great job! I hope the patient gets well soon and his/her surgery is a success.
just watched a remake of "the thing". might need to take a closer look at the patient. ha
I would hope that she pays for this rescue. The Aussie's should not be responsible for "extreme" thrill-seekers who get in over their heads and have to be rescued...for any reason.
Evening Greg..no I think you will find we will pay for it..no drama..we have fished plenty of foreign sailors out of our Southern waters and it just "goes with the territory"...You do realize there is a fully fledged working base down McMurdo and not quite sure where you get "thrill seeker" from....there are hundreds of people down there from many countries. We and NZ are called on as we are closer and happy to help anyone who is in need does not bother us.
Greg,
I would hope that if a citizen from another country was in trouble that the U.S. would help without sending a bill for services rendered. There is nothing wrong with just helping people in trouble out of simple kindness.
Greg - there needs to be way less people like you. What a selfish comment. Grow up and realize that it doesnt all come down to money, humanity still exists (not so much in your case I guess).
shona1 -- you're a good human being. a credit to the species. glad to know you!
O-M-G!!! What an AMAZING story this is!! I hope the news follows it and we get to find out who the pilot is and his crew! And of course, the patient. I am BLOWN away by this, they landed a huge plane on a runway of ICE!??!!
What a stunning story and what an inspiration too!! Thank God for the Australians, talk about stepping up to the plate!!
I don't get the God/Australian connection. People doing their job, nothing more.
Evening Landon..No you probably won't hear much more..they will just "disappear" as it is part of their job and to be honest most don't like the fuss. It is not the first time they have done it and it will not be the last. Barely rated a mention here in our news to be honest.
Regarding the return on investment for this research station at the bottom of the world. I think there is more to gain there than from Mars.
I really dont think one compares to the other....
How about comparing money spent (it has to come from somewhere) looking for a speck of ice, a drop of water or a fleck of carbon on Mars to doing research on Earth that may actually help people on Earth. The point I was trying to make revolves around potential benefit relative to money spent (pissed away).
I agree there has to be more benefit from further studies on our planet such as how to rescue ourselves from self-inflicted environmental damage and how to improve efforts to salvage what is left of the earth's resources. Besides what are we going to do shuttle the earth's population to another inhabitable planet before the earth's time is up, don't think so.
Why does every bit of science/research/exploration/discovery have to "help" people or benefit mankind as a whole. Should have Sir Alexander Fleming simply thrown away that moldy culture? Should Thomas Edison and the many others that were working on a practical light bulb have given up? Should Nikola Tesla have given up when his initial investors did not agree with him about the practicality of a alternating current motor and fired him? Of course not on all these examples.
Sometimes research results in unexpected benefits. Research for research's sake is simply part of human psyche. We are wired to explore and discover.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_chance_in_scientific_discoveries
Glad they made it safely and got the patient transported safely as well. This team traveling to get the patient deserves some kudos - they put themselves in danger to help someone in need. Nice to read stories like this, amongst all of the negative ones we're bombarded with on a daily basis.
I can't even imagine being that cold not even for a second and I am so glad they were able to get her out of there to get the help she needed.
This is the perfect place for all rapist and child molesters to live and if they get into trouble OH well such as life.
-13 degrees F? Sounds tepid in Antartica terms. Pilots out there, this temp poses big landing/take off troubles? Article said other conditions were otherwise perfect. Seems like planes land in the US in that temp. Not making light, just curious why all the concern about the rescue attempt.
Evening Quinn. As we don't land anywhere here in Australia in snow or ice unlike the States then yes that is unusual for our pilots...and yes it presents landing and take off problems due to the conditions. Normally the temperatures are around minus 30oC down there in the depths of winter. So luck of the gods for all concerned with this timing.
the mighty quinn1 -- they also get winds over a hundred miles an hour.
Salute to all involved! I would hate to be trying to land something like that plane on an ice field - how much brakes do you get to use before you turn into a hockey puck? All reverse thrust and flaps?
Well, at least it is done, and all went well - not like in years past, when you went in for the duration, if something went wrong, well, too bad. Again, thanks and respect to the fliers!
Aussies are AWESOME. Thanks much!
thank god for our good friends the australians. they have been one our allies for a very long time. way to go aussies!
Must've Been Joan RIVERS!
I am Thankful that the emergency landing and departure were sucessful; but with a country that is trillions of dollars in debt; why inte World are we still down there? I know it is in the interest of research. Just maybe it is time for researchers to pay their own way in this country; with limited help in the name of science and medicine. Very limited help!
angryveteran --- maybe you will think otherwise if that research saves your life or the life of a loved one in the future.
You probably don't even pay any taxes angryveteran.
Perhaps you should receive couseling about your anger, which would probably be paid for by the taxpayers.
@angry - I thank you for your service to this Nation and for fighting for Our freedoms.
That said, I would much prefer the money go to research there then to a stupid campaign. A cap needs to be put on how much money you can use to campaign so more then the financial elite can run. I also find it funny how much money they can raise for said campaigns but not a dime can be raised for our national debt or to help the situation for the many unfortunate citizens and veterans alike. Priorities need to be set.
with ObamaCare - he would have be given a pain pill