An Australian aviation team has completed a rare medical evacuation from Antarctica during the middle of winter. The mission involved rescuing a US expedition worker from McMurdo Station. The operation took place in freezing temperatures and complete darkness.
Australian aviation company Skytraders was asked to carry out the emergency evacuation through the US Antarctic Program and the Australian Antarctic Division. The request was received on Wednesday, with only a short period available to complete the mission.
The operation faced several delays because of severe weather. A snowstorm initially prevented the mission from going ahead. It also stopped workers at the station from reaching the runway.
The runway at Phoenix Airfield is made from compacted snow. It had to be carefully prepared before the aircraft could land. Ground teams spent about six hours grading and grooming the surface.
Skytraders also had to prepare its Airbus A319, known as Snowbird 1, for the medical flight. Engineers and a design team changed the aircraft’s interior to allow a stretcher. The design team and engineers modified the aircraft’s interior to accommodate a stretcher. This preparation took about 24 hours.
The aircraft eventually left Hobart, Tasmania, early on Friday. It then travelled towards Antarctica in extremely difficult conditions. Temperatures at the airfield fell to about -43°C. Strong winds made the operation even more challenging. Despite the conditions, the aircraft landed safely.
The patient was transferred onto the plane before the crew began the return journey. The aircraft spent only one hour on the ground before flying to Christchurch, New Zealand. The patient was taken there for medical treatment and is now recovering. Captain Louise Robertson described the mission as the most complicated operation she had experienced during her seven years with Skytraders. She has worked as a pilot for 25 years.
The flight was unusual because it unusual flight took place on July 31, before any sunlight returned to the area. Robertson’s husband, Captain Rod Robertson, was the pilot who landed the aircraft at McMurdo Station. Another pilot, Captain Al Wallach, said the mission required close cooperation between pilots, weather experts, planners, runway workers, and medical teams.
The Australian Antarctic Division said the rescue demonstrated the skills of the teams involved and the importance of international cooperation in Antarctica. Skytraders previously carried out a similar evacuation in March 2020, when it helped rescue another US Antarctic Program worker from McMurdo Station.
