Renowned climate change scientist dead after falling into crevasse in Greenland

N Y Post ^ | August 12, 2020 | Tamar Lapin

[BenLurkin]

Konrad Steffen, director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), was working near Ilulissat on Saturday when he was reported missing, police said.

A rescue operation was launched, but ultimately abandoned without the 68-year-old researcher’s body being found.

“We have found signs that the person fell through a crack in the glacier,” police spokesman Brian Thomsen told local newspaper Sermitsiaq.

“An accident has probably occurred and it is highly probable that the person in question has passed away,” Thomsen added.

Fellow scientist Kathy Riklin said it seemed a snow bridge had collapsed under Steffen, causing him to plummet into the crevasse, Agence France-Presse reported.

The tragic accident occurred less than a mile from the research station Steffen established in 1990 — known as “Swiss Camp” — where he made an annual expedition

[jerod]

The second week in August in the Northern hemisphere is likely to be one of the hottest weeks of the entire year... Not a good time to be screwing around on glaciers... Then again, if you are a ‘warming’ scientist and you want results that show warming... It’s probably the best time of the year to be doing that sort of thing.

[Dr. Sivana]

still a tragedy...even if one disagrees with his beliefs...

In a sense, yes. In another sense, there is something noble in going out in a dramatic fashion while doing your job (e.g. Steve Irwin).

[moovova]

He should’ve studied gravity.

[Oatka]

Five thousand years from now, he will be the next Otzi dug out of a glacier and scientists will dissect and his gear to find out about our civilization.

[Trillian]

They don’t know a lot about the environment.

[blueunicorn6]

“Let’s all remember WSL’s motto....

No man left behind....unless he’s old.....and we don’t like him. Then we leave him like he’s a pair of dirty underwear.”