Rescue Mission Antarctic
CALGARY - A pilot who has flown hundreds of hours in the Antarctic says the rescue mission now being attempted has never been done before.
Four Calgary pilots are on their way to the south pole to try to rescue an American
doctor who is suffering from pancreatitis.
No one has ever flown into the South Pole Research Station so late in the season and
Bob Heath says it doesn't get any harder than
this. "There are very little landing facilities, extreme cold, darkness," he says.
It was -62 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and the sun set for winter six weeks ago. Heath,
who is with Kenn Borek Air – the same
company making the rescue mission, has flown the same Antarctic route as the southbound pilots hundreds of times. They are heading for the British research station at
Rothera. From there, it's a 10-hour flight to reach the doctor. "They'll have an hour's fuel remaining when they get into South Pole Station," says Heath. "The nearest alternate to South Pole Station this time of year is about five hours away." Heath says the pilots will have about two hours to refuel, evacuate the doctor and get out. Despite the odds, he's confident the pilots will make it.
"I would say, given their operating experience and their experience on the aircraft, that they have a very good chance," he says. Heath says with winter settling into the south pole, flying will soon become too dangerous.
CBC on-line.
Four brave guys in two Twin Otters. Best of luck, hope you don't need it.