Earlier this year, a Twin Otter was sent from Canada to a U.S. Antarctic base, to carry out a sick American doctor.
Story Were the Americans foolish to set up an Antarctic base without equipping it with a full hospital? Were the Canadians foolish to rescue the American?
Coincidentally, the rescued doctor is described as "an adventurer who flew his own stunt plane and traveled worldwide."
Perhaps the policies have more to do with territorial claims than the cost of providing humanitarian acts.