Science – Saving a sick person from a remote research station – Knowledge

Sydney (dpa) – A successful rescue mission in one of the most remote places in the world: An Australian icebreaker brought a sick person on board after a long journey to the Casey Research Station in Antarctica. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted a spokesman for the Australian government agency Antarctic Division (AAD) as saying on Monday that the RSV Nuyina is now on its way back to Hobart on the Australian island of Tasmania, thousands of kilometers away.

On Sunday, the ship broke through the sea ice and reached a location 144 kilometers from Casey. “As soon as the ship arrived nearby, two helicopters took off from the helicopter deck,” she said in a statement. “After a nearly hour-long flight, helicopters arrived at Casey and picked up the expedition member.”

Thousands of kilometers away

The icebreaker left Hobart at the end of last August and headed to the Australian research station, about 3,500 kilometers away, after one of the people stationed there fell ill. It was not initially clear whether the infected person was a man or a woman. The person needs a specialist medical examination and must be sponsored in Australia, the AAD said.

At first, no other details about his health were known. They said that all other participants in the flight were in good condition. The sick person on RSV Nuyina is now being cared for by polar paramedics and medical staff at the Royal Hobart Hospital. The Casey Research Station is located about 3,380 kilometers south of Perth. It is the closest permanent station in Antarctica to Australia. While about 150 expedition participants live there in the summer, there are only about 20 people there in the winter.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:230904-99-67783/3