Australian ship evacuates seriously ill Antarctic researcher
Digital Reporter
Monday, March 23, 2015, 11:00 AM - A seriously ill man has been rescued from an Antarctic research base, and is en route to Australia for treatment.
The Australian Antarctic Division did not identify the man, or give details on his ailment, but said he was in a serious, but stable, condition aboard the Aurora Australis.
The ship battled through sea ice and snowy conditions, in temperatures below -10oC, to get close enough to Australia's Davis Station to allow a helicopter to retrieve the patient.
"Before the patient was transferred we did several test runs to make sure the operation went as smoothly as possible," Robb Clifton, the operations manager for the Australian Antarctic Division.
The ship is now on a two-week journey to base in Hobart, Tasmania.
The situation appeared more dire and was thought to be deteriorating last week, but by Monday it appeared he was stable, according to Australia's environment minister, Greg Hunt.
"All the signs from the medical reports are saying that it's stable, but you can never take working in Antarctic operations for granted," the BBC reports.
Antarctica does not formally belong to any nation, but several countries, including Australia, have made claims, and operate research bases on the continent.
SOURCES: Australian Antarctic Division | BBC
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