Posted on 09/13/2010 11:55:21 PM PDT by naturalman1975
AFTER two failed attempts, a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Orion has evacuated a seriously ill American man from Antarctica and is heading back to Christchurch.
The aircraft, carrying a crew of 12 and three medical staff, landed at the US McMurdo Station science base on the north Antarctic coast and rescued the man, whose condition and identity remained undisclosed.
The Orion aircraft refuelled before embarking on a six-hour return mission just after 2pm (12pm AEST), RNZAF squadron leader Kavae Tamariki said.
"It was a pretty good turnaround actually; they were only on the ice for about an hour-and-a-quarter," he said.
The Orion was due to arrive in New Zealand at about 9.05pm (11.05pm AEST) where the man will be taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital, Antarctic New Zealand spokesman Matt Vance said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Good job and thank you, RNZAF...in winter, no less. Well wishes for the stricken.
Yeah, if those aftershocks don’t make him improve, nothing will. < /sarc >
Christchurch did strike me as an interesting choice...
All of the Antarctic coast is the north Antarctic coast.
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