Three individuals are safely evacuated from a US Antarctic base in a hazardous winter rescue operation conducted by New Zealand.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) recently executed a high-risk medical evacuation (medevac) from McMurdo Station, Antarctica, transporting three U.S. researchers to Christchurch in a C-130J Super Hercules. The round-trip mission, which lasted approximately 19.5 hours, included medical personnel aboard to care for the patients in flight.
The mission was a response to an urgent request from the U.S. National Science Foundation, as one of the researchers needed immediate medical treatment, while two others required medical attention.
The operation was described as highly technically demanding due to the extreme cold, 24-hour darkness, and limited local support at McMurdo. Upon arrival, the aircraft underwent "hot refuelling" (keeping the engines running during refuel to prevent freezing) before departing the ice runway. Temperatures at McMurdo during the operation were reportedly very cold, with reports noting that temperatures as low as -58°F are typical in mid-winter, and this mission was no exception.
Air Commodore Andy Scott, of the New Zealand Defence Force, stated that mid-winter flights to Antarctica are one of the most challenging for air crews. He further mentioned that flying in extreme cold, changeable weather conditions, and darkness on night vision goggles is particularly challenging.
U.S. and NZ officials praised the RNZAF's execution of the mission, describing it as flawless. Melissa Sweeney, the US Chargé d'Affaires for New Zealand, expressed her gratitude towards the RNZAF for their swift response and expertise.
The RNZAF has previously carried out similar rescues in Antarctica, specifically in 2021 and 2024. However, mid-winter evacuations are rarer and more technically demanding due to the extreme cold, 24-hour darkness, and limited local support at McMurdo, making this operation noteworthy.
The RNZAF has not disclosed any details about the medical emergency or the nationalities of the evacuated individuals, citing privacy and security reasons. The mission was executed in the complete darkness of the Antarctic winter, adding an additional layer of complexity to the operation.
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The RNZAF's expert execution of the medevac highlighted their ability to handle health-and-wellness emergencies even under the adverse conditions of Antarctica, where science research is extensively conducted. The challenging weather conditions, such as extreme cold, 24-hour darkness, and the need for "hot refueling," further emphasize the importance of science, medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, and weather in critical mission planning and execution.
