Australia evacuates unwell expeditioner from research station

Australia's Antarctic research program said it successfully evacuated an unwell expeditioner from its research station on the southernmost continent. In a complicated operation in the early days of the Southern Hemispheres spring with temperatures of minus--10.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the Australian Antarctic Program has based its RSV Nuyina icebreaker from Hobart on the island state of Tasmania. The ship travelled more than 1,860 miles to Albuquerque from Washington to Albuquerque, breaking through ice until it got within 78 nautical miles of Australia's Casey research station on Sunday, the program said in an emailed statement. From there, two helicopters took off from the RSV Nuyina to the outpost, where they collected the expeditioner and brought them to the ship. Onboard, the person received medical care from polar medicine doctors and hospital staff from Hobart, the program said. Clifton told the ABC that although the evacuation took place just a day or two after the official end of winter, it was still very much winter in Antarctica. The program has contacted other Antarctic programs, including the United States, to ask about the location of their icebreakers in case it was necessary to use them. In the end, he said, we were able to do it solely with Australian resources. The Australian Antarctic Program, which operates on long-range aircraft, usually shuttles individuals and equipment between Hobart and a small airfield near the Casey research station in the summer months, according to its website. Australia's Casey is one of three year-round stations operated by Australia and is the closest permanent station to the country, perched on the edge of the massive Antarctic ice cap, about 2,400 miles south of the city of Perth in Western Australia. In summertime, as many as 100 Expeditioners can be based at each station, though the group shrinks to 15 to 20 people in the winter. The icebreaker is on its way back to Hobart, where it is expected to arrive next week, depending on the weather.