Risked Subzero Temps, Total Darkness To Rescue McMurdo Station Staff

The New Zealand Air Force conducted a medevac operation lasting nearly 20 hours to rescue three Americans from McMurdo Station in Antarctica after they were unable to receive adequate treatment by on-site medical staff.

The U.S. National Science Foundation requested the medevac for the three individuals, one of whom required urgent care. The other two also needed care and were evacuated as a precaution.

Air Commodore Andy Scott, head of the air component for New Zealand, said mid-winter flights to  Antarctica are among the most challenging missions because of rapidly shifting weather conditions, extreme cold, and landing on ice in total darkness.

He said, "The crew can only attempt the flight after detailed analysis of the weather and airfield state. The United States Antarctic Program Winter Team must physically create the runway before we can depart by ensuring the ice is groomed and suitable for landing.”

"Although they determine it is safe, it's still an extremely challenging environment to fly in on Night Vision Goggles due to the extreme weather conditions, which are highly changeable at this time of year and makes accurate forecasting a challenge. This, coupled with there being no airfields available to divert to once the aircraft is past a certain point south adds to the risk, so these missions are not taken lightly,” he added.

The aircraft was pre-positioned from Auckland to Christchurch on Sunday August 3, and the Go decision was made when a weather window opened on Tuesday to fly to McMurdo. After landing in -11o F on the ice runway, the aircraft’s engines were kept running to prevent freezing during the refueling.

Melissa Sweeney, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to New Zealand, praised the operation as flawless, saying, "We are so very grateful. Our Kiwi partners didn’t hesitate to undertake this mission in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Their skill and readiness are truly world-class."

FMI:  www.nsf.gov/