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Daring Antarctic Rescue Accomplished

Plane lands in twilight, on ice runway in below-freezing temps

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 9, 2012 8:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – An Antarctic expeditioner has been successfully—and dramatically—evacuated after suffering a medical emergency, CNN reports. No further details on the patient, who is believed to be American, but an Australian medical team landed in an A319 Airbus today and took off again little more than an hour later. The team, which took off from New Zealand because no US aircraft could respond in time, found a break in the weather (it's -13 degrees Fahrenheit there today), and landed on an ice runway during the small window of twilight that slightly broke Antarctica's almost completely dark winter.

This undated file photo shows an aerial view of the McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
This undated file photo shows an aerial view of the McMurdo Station in Antarctica.   (AP Photo/National Science Foundation, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
backpath2
Aug 10, 2012 6:42 AM CDT
I wonder if many Americans realize how important Australia and New Zealand are to our interests in the Pacific region, particularly in light of China's expansionist policies. Let's hope that when push comes to shove, we go the distance for our old friends in the Pacific theater of operations. Make no mistake: China wants to turn the Pacific into a private lake, and Australia and New Zealand and the Phillipines are standing in China's way. During WW2, the Japanese war plans included invading Australia, and the U.S. threw everything, including the kitchen sink, into preventing that from happening. He who would control the Pacific must first control Australia, and we had better remember that lesson now, with China growling on the horizon.
Seth_Meyers
Aug 9, 2012 9:51 AM CDT
And will this "expeditioner" be reimbursing everyone for all of the expenses incurred and sending written thank you notes to everyone, too?
MisterE
Aug 9, 2012 9:32 AM CDT
Small window to land in twilight? Can't they fly at night, like they do in US? And why don't they say what the "medical emergency" was?

 
Antarctica • evacuation • rescue

 
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